PALATABILITY OF SOME BRITISH INSECTS. 839 



Group Lamellico r n i a. 

 Dung Beetle (Geotrupes vernalis). 



July 23, 1909. Offered to Pearl-spotted Owl, which blinked at 

 it, but refused to touch it. Offered to a White-eared Scops Owl. 

 was at once taken and held up in one foot ; but after a few pecks, 

 which removed some legs, it was let fall, no effort being made to 

 recapture it. Given to a Ludwig's Bustard, was eagerly taken, 

 and swallowed whole after a few pecks. 



The large Cockchafer (Jfelolontha vulgaris). 



July 23, 1909. One dropped on floor of aviary was pounced 

 upon by Indian Dial Bird which had just before been trying the 

 Timarcha. He pecked it, hammered it with his bill, and after a 

 great deal of difficulty broke it in half. He evidently liked it, 

 because he would not give any other bird a chance of getting it. 

 However, when he had broken it up, the Harmonious Shrike- 

 Thrush secured one half and carried it away, and after pecking it 

 for a few minutes swallowed it. The Dial Bird in the meantime 

 finished oft* his portion. 



Stag Beetle {Lucanus cervus) male. 



July 31,1 909. This I showed to some Capuchins, which evinced 

 the greatest eagerness to secure it, but no sign of fear. I gave it 

 to one, and his first act was to bite off the mandibles. This may 

 have been an accident, but it reminded me of the alleged action 

 of baboons in removing the stings of scorpions before they can do 

 any damage with them. He then bit off the legs, finding they 

 worried him, and sitting down munched up the beetle as if it had 

 been a bit of apple. On a previous occasion I gave a dead Stag 

 Beetle (male) to some Brush Turkeys. One seized it and was 

 promptly chased round and round the enclosure by the others, 

 which evinced the greatest keenness for a share. I could not wait 

 to see what ultimately happened to the insect. 



Group Longicornia. 



Strangcdia armala, the only species of this group experimented 

 with, is a black and yellow, somewhat wasp-like flower-haunting 

 diurnal beetle, with a very hard exoskeleton. 



July 21 to 31, 1909. One taken at once from my hand by 

 Silver Pheasant and eaten after a good deal of pecking and 

 breaking up. The way the bird persevered with this hard-shelled 

 beetle shows that his rejection of the Harpalus was not due to 

 its hardness (p. 838). 



One offered to Fantailed Flycatcher, which, however, would 

 not touch it. Black-headed Sibia took it without hesitation, and 

 flying away with it pecked it to pieces and finally ate it. Further 



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