EXPLANATION OF FOEM AND COLOURING. 271 



Exp. 33. — To place Pseudacrcea. Later in the day, the bird being once more 

 somewhat hungry, I gave it four grasshoppers and a Neptis saclava, all of which 

 were readily eaten. After five more small grasshoppers, she obstinately refused 

 without tasting Ypthima, Neptis saclava, and Neptis agatha, but evidently not 

 recognizing as a Neptis a Neptis sivy^mertoni, which I now offered with all its 

 wings, at once seized on it, but on tasting it threw it hastily away. She now ate 

 a small grasshopper, tasted and rejected in turn Pseudacrcm lucretia, Fapilio lymus, 

 and Pseudacrcea trinieni, readily accepted and ate Precis cebrene, refused a Precis 

 natalensis Q, but then, as though struck by an idea, suddenly leant forward, 

 tasted it cautiously, and at once crushed and swallowed it. 



After a considerable interval to allow her to become hungry once more (for the 

 rejection of Pajnlio hjceus had shown her to be too nearly replete), I again offered 

 Neptis saclava. It was refused without tasting, but a J Leuceronia thalassina was 

 well crushed and readily eaten, the Pseudacrcea irinieni was refused without 

 tasting, a Henotesia 2^&'>'spiGua was well tasted and thrown away, and a Mycalesis 

 campina was refused without tasting. 



The bird now at first i-efused, but, changing her mind, tasted, crushed, and at 

 once swallowed Neptis agatha, and then, with a great shake of her feathers, roused 

 herself from her previous listless condition and, buckling enei'getically to the fray, 

 crushed and ate in quick succession Neptis saclava, Ypthima, Henotesia j^ers-jncua, 

 Mycalesis campina, and Belenois mesentina, but rejected with mai-ked disgust 

 Mylothris agathina and Mylothris yulei. 



[Summary, etc. : — (1) Note at the time : " The chief new result was the unaccept- 

 ability of Neptis stoynnertoni. The butterfly was to all appearance undamaged 

 by its tasting and continued to move freely about the cage." 



(2) Grades: — 



[a) 1. Grasshopper, P. cebrene, and P. natalensis f. 



2. N. saclava, N. agatha, N. swynnertoni, P. lucretia, P. irimeni, 

 P. lyceus, Ypthima. 



(b) 1 . L. thalassina J . 

 2. iV. saclava. 



The eating of L. thalassina failed to procure that of P. trimeni, and it is just 

 possible therefrom that the Pseudacrcea is not as high as Leucero7iia ; similai'ly, 

 M. agathina pulled the roller up when she got " on the run " just afterwards, and 

 Mycalesis, Belenois, &c., which failed to do so, were quite likely therefore less 

 unpleasant than the Mylothris^ 



Exp. 54. — June 28. To place Pseudacrcea. Crushed and rejected with utter 

 disgust the larva of Acrcea serena, ate steadily aftei- tasting it a J Phrissura 

 isokani, refused a r? Mylothris agathina (smelling strongly of sweet-brier) with 

 shakes of the head, and tasted and at once threw away Mylothris yulei. A second 

 Phrissura isokani was readily accepted, crushed, and swallowed. 



I now offered a very large moth i^Nyctipao macrops\ with only two wings 

 removed ; the bird readily ate it, and then persistently refused to touch Neptis 

 saclava. She accepted, however, crushed and tasted well, and swallowed Neptis 



