the Relative Edibility of Insects. 17 
to do with this very aposematic bug, but he tasted 
it cautiously, and then ate it slowly and uncertainly. 
I was much surprised at this, and thought that as 
M. was in a very frolicsome mood he had perhaps not 
selected very carefully. 
Obs. 39. Sp. 29.—Hesperid, Rhopalocampta forestan 
Cram. : this large skipper had been previously quieted 
a little in the cyanide-bottle, It was inspected, smelt, 
licked, and finally eaten with relish, wings and all. 
(Note.—Sufficient time had elapsed for any taint of 
cyanide to disappear.) 
Obs. 40. Sp. 30.—Tachinid, Chromatophania dis- 
tinguenda Vill.: a large fly with very conspicuous 
pink body and brown wings. It had been quieted by 
the killing-bottle. M. picked it up and threw it down 
twice, but would not taste it. 
Obs. 41. Sp. 31.—Reduviid: a slender black bug 
speckled with yellow; not very conspicuous. M. ate 
it cautiously. 
Obs. 42. Sp. 32.—Meloid, Cyaneolylta coelestina 
Haag. : a large, heavy, purple beetle, like Meloe (the 
“* oil-beetle’’). M. was very decided about this; 
looked at it and at once rubbed it on the ground and 
then left it. I put another where he could get at it, 
and he, being in a very frolicsome mood, played about 
with it and at last tasted it. He afterwards shook his 
head and made wry faces. 
Obs. 43. Sp. 33.—Mantid: two very young black 
specimens found running on a road. One looked 
ant-like; the other had a white spot on the abdomen 
and was rather like a generalised type of Mutulla. 
M. ate them both without delay. 
Obs. 44. Sp. 34.— Acridiid, Humbe tenuicornis 
Schaum. : a large, earth-brown, very procryptic grass- 
hopper which shows yellow wings with black border 
when flying. This was eaten with relish. 
Obs. 45. Sp. 35.—Tryxalid: a large, green and 
brown, very procryptic grasshopper which shows 
matve wings when flying. M. saw the colour of these 
as I threw it down, but ate the insect with relish, 
without hesitation. 
Series H. Dec. 30.—At 5 p.m. I took M. out hunting 
among the bushes— 
Obs. 46. Sp.—.—He discovered and ate at least 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1921.—PaARTS I, Il. (OCT.) © 
