238 Mr. R. Phillipps,-


Mr. Astley (O. S. VI. 47). If these gentlemen mean the fresh

cocoons of the larger species of ant, I can understand the

possibility of a Hoopoe being clever enough to get one down ;

but if by ' ants' eggs' we are to understand the ordinary dried

cocoons sold to us in this country, I must confess to being a little

puzzled. Has either gentleman actually seen a Hoopoe pick up

and swallow an ant's egg ? If either has, of course that settles the

matter ; but if neither has seen the operation, I must express a.

doubt as to the ability of a Hoopoe to ' mandibulate' one. The

Hoopoe is not the only difficult subject for which ants' eggs are

recommended that simply could not possibly feed upon them.


Birds that have been fed up to Show-pitch on mealworms

do not usually last well. Mr. Castle-Sloane (p. 223) tells us

what is the end of the Hoopoe that has developed the mealworm

habit — ' they dropped off one by one.' Mr. Astley (O. S. VI. 47)

enters more into details. His seven birds in their enviable

quarters must for a time have picked up a quantity of natural

food ; but, as the supply fell off, the reserve stimulants (meal-

worms and raw meat) began to tell. He writes : — " Why they

•died is a mystery to me, for they all collapsed before September

was out, and had in the meanwhile had every privilege : mag-

nificent weather, full exercise, natural food as well as ants' eggs,

mealworms and raw meat when they needed it ; and yet as each

one moulted their skin seemed to be attacked by a sort of scurvy,

and the new feathers dropped out when about half grown and

when still to a great extent in the quill stage. One or two of

them had fits into the bargain, and all seven died." He had

written previously : — " After a week or so I ventured to open the

door and let them fly loose in the garden, and it was the prettiest

and most uncommon sight to see seven Hoopoes flitting along

the terrace towards me when they spied the tin of mealworms in

my hands." The temptation to use that 'tin of mealworms,' to

encourage one's dearest pets to fly about us, is almost irresistible,

at least I have sometimes found it so ; how can one disappoint a

tiny mite that settles so trustingly on one's hand and tries to

force open the closed fist, and to insert its bill between the

fingers, and then looks up so pleadingly into one's face ? I have

succumbed only too often— and so have the birds, for.it is fatal !



