Some Habits and Instincts of Young Birds. 43 



to young birds distasteful insects were made solely with 

 a view to ascertain whether there was any instinctive 

 avoidance on the part of the birds. Of this I have not 

 found a single instance. Cinnabar caterpillars (Euclielia, 

 jacobin) were tried and avoided after a few trials by all 

 the birds on which I have made observations, though one 

 hungry jay ate five in succession, never again eating 

 another, though he had frequent opportunities. The 

 brown pupae of this moth were eaten by jays with apparent 

 relish. All avoided large woolly-bear caterpillars (Arctia 

 caja) ; but whereas jays, ducks, and moorhens ate small 

 caterpillars of the wood tiger moth (Nemeophila plantaginis) 

 and the cream-spot tiger moth (Chelonia villica), the 

 chicks, pheasants, and guinea-fowl to which they were 

 given found them distasteful. Jays ate freely the pupae 

 of the currant moth (Abraxas grossulariata), but on the 

 following day took them less readily, and with some 

 wiping of the bill. One of the jays also ate the large 

 larva of the buff-tip moth (Phalera bucephala), which the 

 other jay rejected, as did ducklings and chicks. After 

 wiping it to and fro across his perch, he tore it, eating 

 the inside with apparent relish, and leaving the skin for 

 a time. This he subsequently swallowed. Two days 

 later he ate another in the same manner. Moorhens, as 

 already mentioned, found the wings of the burnet moth 

 (Zycjgena filipendulce) distasteful. Soldier beetles and 

 ladybirds were invariably tested, and avoided as the 

 result of experience. The net result of these observations 

 is that, in the absence of parental guidance, the young 

 birds have to learn for themselves what is good to eat and 

 what is distasteful, and have no instinctive aversions.* 

 I am not, of course, prepared to say that in no case 



* My thanks are due to Mr. G. C. Griffiths for kindly sending me larvae 

 and pupae. 



