On Insects supposed to be dlstastefal to Bit- da. Ill 



XIX. — A few Remarks respecting Insects supposed to he dis- 

 tasteful to Birds. By Arthur G. Butler, F.L.S., 

 F.Z.S., &c. 



The question as to tlie distasteful nature of certain insects 

 and their larvas has of late years occupied the attention of 

 several eminent naturalists, and certainly is one worthy of 

 consideration. 



Many years ago I published an account of experiments 

 which I had recorded touching the refusal of certain cater- 

 pillars &c. by lizards, frogs, and spiders : the attention which 

 that paper of mine has since received has been interesting, as 

 showing how very little has since been done by naturalists 

 either to prove or disprove the truth of the theories based 

 thereon. 



The other day I Avas reminded by a simple occurrence of 

 the fact that two years ago Mr. Poulton asked me to take 

 careful notes of all insects and their larva3 or pupge which were 

 accepted or rejected by my birds (if I remember rightly I had 

 at the time about 108 birds), and to send the notes to him, 

 to assist him in more thoroughly investigating the subject. 

 This I did most conscientiously, not even retaining a copy of 

 my notes, but so far nothing seems to have come of it ; I 

 presume therefore that my facts have rather tended to mystify 

 than clear the matter up, for the following reason : — 



My experience ever since I have kept birds — nearly six 

 years — has been that no insect in any stage was ever refused 

 by all the birds, what one bird refused another would eat * ; 

 but the other day I thought I had discovered a moth which no 

 bird would touch — Zenzera cesculi ? . I threw it into my 

 aviary of insectivorous birds, and they positively showed fear 

 of it ; the Grey Wagtail insjjected it askance from a yard's 

 distance, but flew off in a fright when the moth moved ; at 

 the end of half an hour I took it away and gave it to my 

 Missel-Thrush, who behaved exactly as I had seen him do to 

 the stag-beetle {Lucanus cervus), standing almost on tiptoe, 

 giving it a sudden peck, and immediately jumping back ; 

 finding, however, that no harm resulted from his boldness, he 

 presently plucked up courage, pulled it to pieces, and de- 

 voured it, apparently with the greatest satisfaction. What is 

 there in a wood-leopard moth to produce fear in a bird ? 

 Certainly not the smell, for both Missel-Thrush and Blackbird 



* Possibly Zyyccnu and Procris may be exceptions ; I have liati nono 

 lately. 



