Rejection of Insects hy Birds. 325 



large aviaries fitted up with natural branches and growing 

 shrubs and trees. 



I made my first observation on the 27th April, when I 

 turned full-grown females of the two spiders Tegenaria 

 domestica and Dysdera Oambridgei into the aviary containing 

 the Blue Robins, Waxbills, and Mannikins. Not one of the 

 birds showed tlie least fear of them (the smallest birds, as a 

 matter of fact, do not fear tlie largest British spiders), but the 

 cock Blue Robin flew down at once and devoured each as soon 

 as it began to run. 



On the 1st of May I obtained a number of larv83 of the 

 cockchafer (^Melolontha vulgaris), and on the 1st, 2nd, and 

 3rd of the month I gave examples to the Fieldfare, Black- 

 birds, Redwings,, Blue Robins, Pekin Nightingales {Lei'othn'x 

 luteus), Bulbul, and Great Tit; the Blackbirds, Bulbul, and 

 Great Tit ate theirs immediately, the Blue Robins killed but 

 did not relish theirs, the other birds ignored the larva3. 



On May 4th and throughout the summer hundreds of the 

 two white butterflies Oanoris rajpcB and hrassicm have been 

 eaten with great satisfaction by the Blue Robins, Yellow 

 Hammer, Nonpareils, Indigo-Finch, and Chaffinches. 



On the 1st and 19th June I turned larvss of Hyponomeuta 

 padella into my outside Finch aviary and into the Blue-Robin 

 aviary ; the Indigo-Finch ate one or two but did not relish 

 them ; the other birds ignored them *. 



On June 9th and lOth I offered soldier-beetles ( TeUplwrus) 

 to the Blue Robins and Chaffinches, which appeared to eat 

 them with pleasure ; yet, after this date, although I repeatedly 

 offered this beetle to them, both species refused to touch it. 



On the 19th June I obtained the first specimens of J5'mW<s 

 ienax and turned them into my three largest aviaries : the 

 Blue Robins, Orange Weavers, and Nonpareils examined 

 this fly, but would not eat it, although last year the Non- 

 pareils ate a considerable number ; the Indigo-Finch, how- 

 ever, at once flew down, seized and ate the flies with pleasure. 



About the middle of the month my hen Blue Robin went 

 to nest and the cock became most attentive to her, carrying 

 every insect to her until her eggs were hatched, when he 

 transferred his attentions to the young. On the 27th June, 

 however, previous to the hatching of the eggs, I found a large 

 gravid female of the gooseberry-moth {Abraxas gr-ossulariatd) ^ 

 which, when thrown into the aviary with the Indigo-Fincli 

 and Buntings, feigned death and so escaped notice : I there- 



* It will be remembered that this larva was much enjoyed by a speci- 

 men cf Cariwdacus formerly in my possession. 



Ann. (&; Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. vi. 23 



