S34 MR. R. I. POCOCK ON THE 



immediately pounced on it, and aftei* one or two efforts swallowed 

 it at a gulp. 



My impression is that the Flycatcher did not suspect the moth 

 of being eatable until he saw the Shama take it. It certainly 

 looked very like an inanimate excrescence as it rested on the joerch. 

 Presumably the moth had exhausted its intestinal artillery upon 

 me, because it shot out no more when seized by the birds, but 

 kept perfectly quiet without even flapping its wings, although the 

 Shama did not crush it, and having it end on by the thorax with 

 the moth's head in his mouth, left the wings perfectly free to flap, 

 and the abdomen to wriggle, had the moth been disposed to 

 struggle. This behaviour, I take it, was a manifestation of the 

 deeply implanted instinct to keep absolutely still (commonly called 

 ' death-feigning'), which is so highly developed in many animals 

 with procryptic shape and colour. 



The Dot [Mamestra persicarice). 



July 12, 1909. One flattened itself to the ground, and was 

 seized by the Fantailed Flycatcher that had eaten Pheasia tremulce, 

 and was eaten with avidity, delay, however, being caused by the 

 bird's desire to get rid of the wings as well as by being disturbed 

 by another Flycatcher and a Syrian Bulbul, which tried to de- 

 prive him of the moth. The Bulbul subsequently picked up the 

 pieces of wing and ate them. 



LarvfB of the Bright-line Brown-eye {Mamestra oleracea), 



Oct. 26, 1909. One given to Harmonious Shrike-Thrush was 

 taken after a moment's scrutiny. He pecked it, and tasted it 

 three or four times, then swallowed it readily enough. His be- 

 haviour suggested to me a certain amount of caution at first, as if 

 he remembered the distastefulness of the pupa of Pieris hrassicm 

 which he had just previously eaten. The green hue of both gave 

 them a superficial similarity to one another. Having eaten the 

 one specimen of oleracea he was very keen to get the second. 



This I gave to the Black-winged Grackle which a few minutes 

 previously had unhesitatingly left the pupa of P. brassica; after 

 one taste. He took it, and after a taste or two proceeded to eat 

 it with avidity, not giving the Shrike-Thrush, who was hovering 

 near and following him up for an opportunity to snatch it, a 

 chance to do so. 



Larva of Drinker (Cos^notricha 2}otatoria). 



May 26, 1909. One thrown to floor of aviary, w^as followed 

 by many birds and secured by a female Black Tanager, which 

 carried it to a perch and proceeded to peck it and shake it for 

 about one minute. She then dropped it, and it was seized by 

 the Black-headed Sibia, but was drojiped at once. The Tanager 

 thereupon tried it again ; and again let it fall, this time almost 



