MISTAKES OF INSECTS. 77 



would be certain to deceive the inexperienced ; and 

 Majondic's servant actuallly fell an immediate victim 

 to her desire of tasting the prussic acid which she 

 found in hh laboratory. This would be considered 

 perhaps a mistake arising fiom the artificial habits ac- 

 quired in society, by those who maintain that animals, 

 guided l)y instinct, never mistake poison tor food. But 

 we may add another curious instance or two of simi- 

 lar nustakcs in the inferior races. 



The common earth-worm (Liimbricits terresh-is) 

 is instinctively afraid of moles ; and no sooner does it 

 hear any subterranean noise, or feel any shaking of 

 the ground, similar to those indicative of the approach- 

 ing movements of its enemy, than it makes a speedy 

 escape to the surface. Every boy knows how to take 

 advantage of this to procure fish-baits, by thrusting a 

 spade or stake into the ground, and moving it backwards 

 and forwards, to imitate the advance of a mole burrow- 

 ing in search of prey. The worm, unable from its in- 

 stinct to discriminate between its subterranean enemy 

 and the spade, darts into day-light, and is instantly cap- 

 tured for the boy's bait-bag. The lapwing ( Vandlus 

 crislaliis, Mever), it is stated by Dr Anderson in his 

 ' Bee,' is aware of this instinctive fear in the earth- 

 worm of subterranean concussions or noises ; and 

 when it cannot find sufficiency of slugs,* &c, above 

 ground, it pats with its feet, till the earth-worms, mis- 

 taking it for an advancing mole, come forth to be feast- 

 ed upon. 



It is well known that, whenever a hawk appears, 

 he is immediately surrounded by a host of small birds, 

 particularly swallows, which dart at him and tease him, 

 for the purpose, as maybe supposed, of distracting his 

 attention, on the principle that ' wealth makes wit wa- 



* ' Nourriture ; — insectes, araignTes, vers, et petits lima 

 <;<)ns.' Tkmminck, Manuel d'Urnithologie, p. 562, 2d edit. 



