604 Mr. C. F. M. Swymievton on 



out siuce last niglit, tlie Guinea-fowl's egg remaius slightly 

 more than half empty, and I cannot at present examine the 

 duck's eg^ without disturbing the mongoose, as he has 

 carried it into his sleeping-box and is lying on it. It would 

 almost seem that the Guinea-fowl's egg proved less agreeable 

 than its promise. All the eggs were new-laid, and in last 

 night's experiment, as always, 1 broke a hole in each before 

 offering it. In breaking I always use a separate implement 

 (nailj for each egg to avoid transferring smells. 



Expt. 26. July 26. — To-night, for the third time since the 

 experiment of the 17th, I tested fowl's egg against Guinea- 

 fowl's. Each time the result has been a preference for the 

 former — ^just the reverse of what occurred in the original 

 experiment. 



Expt. 27. Aug. 13. — The mongoose refused a fowl's egg, 

 and, on my leaving it in, tried it waveringly and at once with 

 drew. He tasted a Guinea-fowl's egg and refused it, and 

 ignored both eggs on my putting them in with him. Shortly- 

 after he again waveringly smelt and tasted them, probably 

 nearly hungry enough, and carried the Guinea-fowl's egg into 

 kis sleeping-place, but there at once abandoned it,, and came 

 out and remained outside, taking no notice of either egg. 

 I therefore recovered both eggs and held each to his nose 

 in turn. He gave a lick at each (each was, as usual, holed) 

 and withdrew ; but on ray holding a fresh Bullfinch's egg 

 to him (laid in captivity) he smelt and at once attacked it 

 with the greatest eagerness. 



I withdrew it and re-offered the other two eggs. He 

 persistently refused both ; but, on my substituting once 

 more the remains of the Bullfinch's egg, he attacked it with 

 as great eagerness as previously, and, when he was unable to 

 extract anything more from it, eagerly crunched up the shell 

 as well. 



Expts. 28 and 29. Aug. — At a later date I carried out 

 two separate experiments with another fresh Bullfinch's eg'^. 

 Each time the result was : smelt and refused and tasted and 

 refused fowl's egg and Guinea-fowl's egg, but readily ate 



