52 Habit and Instinct. 



is then seized by a sudden dart." Further observations 

 are needed on the behaviour of turkeys to larger insects 

 and to bees. 



Eeturning now to bees, I have not a single instance of 

 their avoidance by young birds from anything like in- 

 stinctive knowledge of their hurtful nature. Here is 

 some of the evidence. To some five-days old chicks, one 

 of which, bolder than the rest, would eat large flies with 

 relish, I threw in a bee. Most of the chicks were afraid, 

 as they were of large flies. The bolder chick, however, 

 snapped it up and ran off with it. Then he dropped it 

 and shook his head, wiping his bill. Probably he tasted 

 the poison, and was not stung ; in any case, he was quite 

 lively and unconcerned in a few minutes ; but he did not 

 touch the bee again. Later in the day I put beneath a 

 tumbler a large fly and a small humble-bee with a sting. 

 Two of the chicks ran round the tumbler, pecking at the 

 insects. I let the bee escape. The bolder chick seized it, 

 dashed it against the ground, and swallowed it without 

 hesitation. To another group of chicks I first gave hive 

 bees, which were seized, but soon let alone, and then the 

 droneflies (Eristalis), which so closely mimic the hive bee. 

 They were left untouched. Their resemblance to the bees 

 was protective. Later I gave drone flies again, and 

 induced a chick to seize one by pecking at it with my 

 pencil. He ran off with it, chased by others. It was taken 

 from him and swallowed. The other drone flies were then 

 left untouched, but one was subsequently eaten. Older 

 chicks run with a dart at a humble-bee, or a large beetle, 

 dash it rapidly on the ground, and throw it aside disabled. 

 But they will do just the same with a largish pellet of 

 brown paper. The mode of behaviour is congenital ; but the 

 object that calls it forth does not appear to be recognized 

 by anything like inherited memory. To some ducklings 



