70 BIRD BEHAVIOUR 



really emergency rations, which are seldom touched 

 so long as more palatable food is obtainable. Holly- 

 berries are known to be even less favoured, while 

 on the other hand the berries of the mountain- ash 

 are soon eaten up, and Mr. Hudson has described 

 Missel-Thrushes coming to yew-trees on the downs 

 again and again, disgorging these berries half- 

 digested in order to return to the feast, a piece of 

 depravity only to be compared to the practices of 

 the gluttons of ancient Rome, who were wont to 

 go out to be sick in the middle of dinner. 



Most observant people have seen, too, how the 

 Starlings strip the elders of their- berries as soon as 

 these are ripe, and in India I found their relatives, 

 the various Mynahs, equally attentive to the berries 

 of the peepul fig (Ficus religiosa), which were also 

 attractive to the Barbets ; the Bulbuls especially 

 revelled in the berries of the introduced Lantana 

 shrub, though in winter I have seen them eating 

 buds, though with no goodwill, the buds being 

 evidently .only taken in default of better food. 



The tree most attractive to birds I have ever 

 seen, however, is the whitebeam (Pyrus aria), at 

 any rate in the case of a specimen which used to 

 stand close to the South Gate of the Zoological 

 Gardens before the new Eagle Aviary was built. 

 When this was hung with its large orange haw-like 

 berries, it was constantly frequented by Starlings 

 (which certainly do not eat ordinary haws if they 

 can help it), Blackbirds, and Wood- Pigeons, all 

 intent on feeding on the fruit as long as it lasted ; 



