472 Effect of offering Insects, Larvce, and Papce to Birds. 



seized and eaten with evident pleasure by Indigo Finch. 

 (N.B. — All these birds are moulting and therefore out of con- 

 dition.) Earwigs eaten by Robin and Leiothrix, refused by 

 Rose-Finch. 



At this point, having purchased many birds to replace 

 losses amongst my Finches, I numbered 108 birds. 



22nd September. 



Eristalis eaten with pleasure by Indigo Finch and Leio- 

 thrix, Nightingales, Robin, Bulbul, and Missel-Thrush ; 

 ignored by Orange- Weavers, Wryneck, Rose-Finch, and 

 Song-Thrush; examined but refused by Waxbills; killed at 

 once and reluctantly eaten by Starling. Full-grown Epeira 

 diademata seized and greedily eaten by Robin, ignored by 

 Orange- Weavers. 



25th September. 



Gave an imago of Phlogopliora meticulosa to Leiothrix ; the 

 cock bird flew down and examined it attentively for some 

 time, evidently half deceived by its leaf-like appearance; 

 eventually he pecked it, and, becoming convinced of its 

 edibility^ tore it to pieces and devoured it with great satis- 

 faction. Earwigs were eaten by Leiothrix, Nightingales, 

 Bulbul, Robin, and Starling ; a number of small spiders and 

 young larvae of Apamea didyma eaten by Waxbills. 



2Gth September. 



Epeira and Agelena eaten with pleasure by Robin, Night- 

 ingales, Leiothrix, and Waxbills. 



27th September. 

 Eristalis eaten by Leiothrix. 



28th September. 



Eristalis again eaten by Leiothrix, Robin, and Nightin- 

 gales ; rejected after examination by Waxbills. 



29th September. 



Caterpillar of buff ermine offered to Missel-Thrush but 

 ignored ; seized at once by Blackbird, passed backwards and 

 forwards between his beak until nearly all the hairs were 

 rubbed off, then swallowed. 



30th September. 

 Caterpillars of Mamestra and Apamea eaten by Waxbills. 



