842 ME. R. I. POCOCK ox THE 



whethei' the sickness was caused by the smell of the Carabus, 

 which to me is nauseating, or to its taste, or by the irritjition of 

 the stomach caused by the TimarGha. I suspect the latter, 

 because the Meei'kat refused to touch a second Timarcha that 

 Avas ofiered to him. 



One smelt and rejected untasted hy two more Meerkats ; 

 taken by a third in the same cage, rubbed in the sawdust, but 

 left apparently iniinjured. 



One grabbed at once and eaten by White-tailed Mongoose, 

 which immediately afterwards heaved and went thi'ough the 

 action of vomiting without, however, ejecting the beetle. A 

 second specimen was smelt and rejected with every show of 

 disgust by the same animal, which persistently refused for 

 the next two hours every beetle that was offered him, although 

 before eating the Timarcha he had devoured a Pterostichus 

 madidus. One rejected without being closely smelt by a Banded 

 Mongoose which had eaten a Coccinella T-ptmctata. Seized by a 

 second Banded Mongoose, and eaten after a good deal of rubbing 

 in the sawdust. 



One ofiered to a Capuchin, one of the specimens which had 

 refused the Telephorid {Rkagonyche fulra) (p. 840), was taken, 

 smelt, and rejected. 



One ofiered to another Capuchin was ultimately eaten piece- 

 meal, but with so much delay caused by handling, licking, and 

 inspection, that I am sure it was no great treat to him, especially 

 as he had every reason to eat it speedily because a bigger 

 Capuchin in the same cage, which had snatched the Carabus 

 from his grasp, was almost continually after him to get the 

 Timarcha^ When monkeys like theii- food they gobble it up if 

 there is the least likelihood of another taking it. 



One ofiered to a Vervet Monkey was accepted, pulled to pieces 

 and eaten, the exoskeleton being dropped to the ground. 



This specimen of Timarcha had lieen previously ofiered to a 

 Baboon {Papio sphinx) ; but he would not even touch it. 



One put on the floor of aviary was pounced upon by Dial 

 Bird, which after continued pecking and hammering could 

 make nothing of it beyond breaking it in half at the waist. 

 Ultimately he left it. An Orange-headed Thrush then tried 

 the abdomen, but was driven ofi' by a Hoopoe, which after 

 pecking and hammering it, gave it up. The Thrush then tried 

 again, and also gave it up. A Black-chinned Laughing Thrush 

 then had a turn ; but with the same result. 



One given to Harmonious Shrike-Thrush which had eaten the 

 Coccinella. He persevered for a long time, but could not manage 

 it and flew away, leaving the beetle apparently unhurt. After 

 aboiit five minutes the bird came back and tried again, this time 

 pecking ofi' the legs and antennfe of the beetle ; but he would 

 not eat the body, and at last flew away and returned no more. 



Sept. 18, 1910. One female taken by Kagu, well crushed, 

 then swallowed at a gulp. 



