846 MK. R. I. POCOCK ON THE ■>■ 



and ultimately eaten by another Meei^kat, but the same animal 

 refused a second. 



One taken in the paws by a Marsh Mongoose, but rejected 

 after being repeatedly rubbed in the sand and smelt. 



One taken by Banded Mongoose and crushed, but rejected with 

 much head -shaking ; swallowed by a second animal also with 

 much head-shaking. 



One refused after being smelt by three Yellow Meerkats. 

 One taken and licked by Capuchin, but rejected. 

 One licked but rejected by Red-handed Marmoset. 

 Another monkey of same species, and a Common Marmoset 

 refused even to taste it. 



July 23, 1909. One examined by Spectacled Thrush, but not 

 touched. Pecked by Fantailed Flycatcher, which shook his 

 head and left it. The bird returned three times, however, and 

 pecked the beetle, but finally gave it up. I then offered it to 

 a Shama three times in succession, and upon each occasion he 

 flicked it avvay and made no attempt to follow it up. Next I 

 tried the Harmonious Shrike-Thrush. He took it, and after a 

 good deal of pecking, ate it. 



July 31, 1909. Three eaten in succession by cock Silver 

 Pheasant. The first one he took from my hand, but put it out 

 of his beak on to the ground. After one or two pecks, however, 

 he swallowed it. The others he took from my fingers and bolted 

 entire as if they were grain, exactly as he had previously bolted 

 the beetles, Pterostichus niger and Ocypus olens. 



Sept. 20, 1910. One taken by Pearl-spotted Owl, but dropped 

 at once. 



One taken by a Pekin Robin, which after a few pecks and head 

 shakes left it and took a drink of water ; tasted by another bird 

 of the same kind, but also left uneaten. 



One taken and swallowed, after a deal of pecking about in the 

 sand and head shaking, by another specimen of Pekin Robin, 

 which had just pi-eviously eaten the grasshopper (Stenobothrws) 

 and the bug (Therapha hyocyami). 



One given to the Dial Bird that had just eaten a Humble Bee 

 {Bomhtis agroribim). He took it at once, and after a little delay 

 swallowed it whole. 



N.B. This is the bird that rejected the two White Butterflies 

 [Pieris hrassicce and napi) after tasting them. 



One taken but rejected by Masked Wood-Swallow ; then taken 

 and eaten by Shama. 



Two taken and bolted quickly by the same Shama, which 

 showed no signs of objecting to the taste, except a single shake 

 of the head on each occasion after swallowing the beetle. 



Although some of these beetles were eaten both by mammals 

 and birds, there can be no doubt that they were distasteful to the 

 majority of the animals to which they were oflfered, even to some 

 of those that ate them. 



