PALATABILITY OF SOME BRITISH INSECTS. 835 



immediately. Two Fantailed Flycatchers then came up and in- 

 spected it. One of them pecked it, but let it alone after one 

 experimental taste. The larva was by this time dead. Then a 

 Sulphury Tyrant came up, picked it up and after a peck or two 

 swallowed it. 



Larva, of Noctua (unidentified). 



May 26, 1909. Two (fed on Tropoeolwm, so-called Nasturtium) 

 eagerly eaten by Pekin Robin and by Kagu. 



One (fed on cabbage) was readily eaten by Yarrell's Curassow, 

 which had just rejected the larva of the Large White (Pieris 

 brassicce) and of the Small White (P. rapes). 



Order NEUROPTERA. 



Hemerobiid (unidentified). 



July 12, 1909. One turned loose in aviary was at once caught 

 on the wing by Fantailed Flycatcher and eaten without hesitation. 

 The bird wiped its beak two or three times on a branch afterwards ; 

 but I do not think this action can be regarded as a certain sign 

 that it wished to remove something unpleasant. It suggests the 

 possibility, however, especially in view of the fact that the action 

 was not repeated by the same bird after greedily eating Pheasia 

 dictcea and Mamestra persicarice. 



Large Black and Yellow Dragon Fly 

 (Cordulegaster annulatus) male. 



July 26, 1909. One pounced upon and eaten after a time by 

 Harmonious Shrike-Thrush. 



Order ORTKOPTERA. 

 Common Grasshopper (Stenobothrus sp.). 



Sept. 6, 1910. One given to Pekin Robin was eagerly taken 

 and eaten, but not with great rapidity, the bird putting it on the 

 ground between the pecks, but without once shaking his head or 

 showing any signs of disliking the taste. He appeared to me to 

 be troubled by the insect's legs. 



Great Green Grasshopper (Locusta viridissima). 



All the birds in the aviary were keen to get it. It was tackled 

 at once by a Dial Bird ; but he was driven off by a Black Tanager, 

 who Hew away with the insect and pulled it to pieces on the top 

 of a wall. 



Sumatran Stick Insect {Loncliodes sp.). 



Taken and eaten at once by: — Pinche Marmoset, Lion Mar- 

 moset. Douracouli, Capuchin, and Banded Mongoose. 



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