306 Mr. F. Finn,


macrura) was similar, in that all of these birds objected to the

Danai?ice, Delias eucharis, * and Papilio aristolochics, (especially,

as a rule, to the last) in comparison with other butterflies, or

absolutely.


I never saw the Chloropsis (Chloropsis aurifrons or viala-

baricd) or the Sibia (Malarias capislrala) eat any "nauseous"

butterfly, except that in the case of the former, one Euploza body

and a few bits of wing were eaten.


The latter bird refused with apparent dislike the male of

Elymnias undularis, which should be palatable, and was as a

matter of fact usually liked by the birds to which I offered it,

Another mimetic species, Papilio polites, was not very generally

popular with birds, but much preferred to its model,/*, aristolochics.


The Hornbill refused Danaince and Papilio aristolochice

absolutely, but ate the only Delias eucharis given.


In several cases I saw the birds apparently deceived b} r

mimicking butterflies. The Common Babbler was deceived by

Nepheronia hippia and Ljothrix by Hypolinmas viisippus. The

latter bird saw through the disguise of the mimetic Papilio

polites, which, however, was sufficient to deceive the Bhimraj and

King-crow.


I doubt if any bird was impressed by the mimetic appear-

ance of the female Elymnias undularis. But this is not a firsts

rate imitation, and a mimic is put to a very severe test when

offered to a bird in a cage or aviary.


Young hand-reared birds, like the Shama and Bhimraj,

had no instinctive knowledge of the " nauseous" forms, and ate

them quite readily at first, but soon gained experience. Birds

caught when old, when watched from the first, like the Sibia,

first Mesia and Starling, appeared to know and avoid the un-

palatable species. The latter bird's action in greedily devouring

the first whole Papilio aristolochicz given, and then avoiding this

species, seems to show that it did not know this insect, and had

no general prejudice against Warning Colours.


So far the results of these experiments on the whole bear

out the accepted theory, but certain birds, like the Lizards, were

more indiscriminate in their tastes.


* The first Mesia had not this species offered to it, but those subsequently kept had, and


evidently disliked it.



