PALATABILTTY OF SOME BRITISH INSECTS. 817 



of coming to clotse quarters, did not catcli it. It escaped into 

 anotlier compartment, and was pi'omptly seized by the Harmonious 

 Shrike-Thrush, which ate it after a deal of pulling about and 

 tasting. 



Aug. 21, 1910. Two males greedily eaten by cock Silver 

 Pheasant. 



One male caught by Pekin Robin and eaten after some time, 

 the delay being caused not apparently by distastef ulness, but by 

 the difficulty of getting rid of the wings which were left uneaten. 

 This bird held the insect to the perch with his foot when 

 pecking. 



One male eagerly taken by Pearl-spotted Owl, Avhich held it up 

 in one foot while pecking it. He pecked away for some time at 

 the thorax and wings without making much headway. He then 

 shifted it and pecked off' the end of the abdomen. But as soon as 

 he got the flavour of the exjDOsed tissues he shook his head and 

 repeated the shake with every taste, showing unmistakable signs 

 of disliking the flavour. Finally he hopped to another perch, put 

 the butterfly down, and after looking at it for a little time, flew 

 away. I thought he had given it up ; but upon returning to the 

 cage ten minutes later the butterfly had disappeared. 



One put into an aviary of Tanagers was chased by sevei'al birds 

 which, however, hesitated at the critical moment to catch it, as if 

 a little doubtful as to its nature. At last a male Scarlet Tanager 

 took it in his beak, but not having the instinct to use his foot to 

 hold it or to put it into a cranny, went on masticating it for at 

 least five minutes without showing any signs of dislike. He 

 apparently refrained from swallowing it on account of the wings. 

 Ultimately he was robbed by a female of the same species, which, 

 after getting I'id of the wings, continued pecking and tasting and 

 shaking her head in the intervals, quite obviously not enjoying the 

 flavour. She managed the insect bettei' than the male, jamming 

 it first into a split orange, and then between the leaves of a palm 

 to peck it the better. Ultimately she ate what was left of the 

 body. 



One male offered to a hen King Bird of Paradise. She looked 

 at it and as soon as she saw the legs move took it, but dropped it 

 at once to the bottom of the cage. After careful and long in- 

 spection, she pecked it once or twice, but showed no eagerness to 

 eat it. I then gave the same insect to a Larger Hill Mynah, 

 which soon swallowed it, wings and all. 



One male taken and eaten at once by Ludwig's Bustard. 



One male offered to Fantailed Flycatcher, but he would not 

 touch it. Taken and tasted by Dial Bird, but left uneaten. Also 

 taken and tasted by Black-winged Grackle, and left and sub- 

 sequently refused twice. Quickly eaten up by Harmonious Shrike- 

 Thrush. 



Sept. 18 to 20, 1910. One caught on wing by Fantailed Fly- 

 catcher, which had just eaten a ' Blue.' He carried it to a 

 window-sill, but after one or two pecks left it. Once or twice the 



