MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 326 
undoubtedly giaktis cantiana, I took these eggs on the 6th instant and 
hope to find more nests later on. 
T had previously taken, in the same place, numbers of clutches of the Stilt’s 
egos, also of Saunder’s Little Tern. The latter, according to my experience, 
invariably lay three eggs. 
: H. BULKLEY. 
KHARAGHORA, 12th August, 1893. 
No, XVII—MOTHS ATTRACTED BY TOBACCO SMOKE. 
I have read with interest Mr. Oxenham’s note on a butterfly attracted by to- 
bacco smoke. I have noticed the same thing more than once. The smell of 
tobacco itself is hateful, if not deadly, to most insects ; but the aroma of its 
fumes has certainly an attraction for some naughty kinds of moths, The 
smell of wine is much more generally attractive to both moths and butter- 
flies, and I need not say that they do not always draw the line at smelling it, 
When I have seen a moth perplexing itself to discover the source of the in- 
toxicating fragrance, I have offered it a sip in a spoon, and the offer has been 
most gratefully accepted. It is rather a curious thing that this taste, among 
butterflies at least, is confined to certain genera, which we rarely or never 
see at flowers, such as Huthalia, Kallima, Charaxes, and most of the Satyrine. 
The Papilionine and Danaine, which are fond of flowers, will not be tempted 
with liquor. Neither will the Nymphalid genera Hypolimnas and Junonia, nor 
any of the Blues. But those butterflies which may be caught with sugar are 
much attracted by the juice of certain trees exuding when the bark is cut, and 
they often show a taste for grosser refreshment. 
HK. H. AITKEN, 
Karwar, 16th August, 1893. 
No, XVIII—THE HABITS OF THE COPPERSMITH. 
I have watched both the Common Coppersmith and other Barbets for many 
years to settle to my own satisfaction the question which forms the subject of 
a note from Mr, Sinclair in the last number of the Journal. Where doctors 
differ those who occupy the room of the unlearned should speak with 
diffidence, but if the real question at issue is the existence of some affinity in 
habits between the Barbets and the Woodpeckers, I have no hesitation in 
saying that I think Jerdon is right, Woodpeckers run up the trunks of trees, 
tapping for the insects on which they feed. This the Coppersmith does not 
- do, In fact it is scarcely an insect-feeder at all, I kept one in a cage for two 
months and could not induce it to eat animal food in any form, It lived 
entirely on fruit, chiefly plantains and dry dates, I recollect once seeing one 
feeding on insects in a wild state, but it must have been an individual of 
original mind, It was capturing flying Termites on the wing! The idea that 
