t> J 4j F. Finn — Experiment.* with various Birds. [No. 4, 



in which I am specially interested, so that I was led to keep many of 

 the species in order to observe them in. life. 



In fact, the experiments in this paper are often not very syste- 

 matic, since experimenting on this subject was not always my main 

 object in keeping birds at all. 



The keeping of many specimens of one or several groups of birds 

 together is not the best possible way at arriving at experimental results, 

 and many of the present experiments were made under these conditions, 

 especially those in which Babblers of different kinds were concerned. 

 And for this I feel some apology is due to investigators. 



Considering, however, the largely arboreal habits of many Bab- 

 blers, and their abundance in this Oriental region, I do not think that 

 any great harm will result from the particular attention I have given 

 to their tastes in the matter of insects. 



SECTION I. 



Miscellaneous experiments with various Birds, mostly belonging to 

 the Babbler and Bulbul groups, and kept together. Series A. 



I commenced this series of experiments in 1895, soon after releasing 

 the Babblers dealt with in my first paper, J. A. 8. B. LXIV, Pt. II, 

 1895, p. 344. The birds used were kept in the aviary vacated by these, 

 and were fed on seed and fruit. 



The, insectivorous birds at first put in were four Red-whiskered 

 Bulbuls (Otocompsa emeria) and five Liothrix (Liothrix luteus) ; but before 

 long one of the former and two of the latter escaped. Other birds were 

 put in afterwards, as noted below, including another species of Bulbul. 



Bulbuls live largely on fruit, but also devour insects, in doing 

 which they do not use their feet to hold their prey, but depend entirely 

 on their beaks ; they have considerable swallowing power. Many 

 species are found in the African and Oriental regions. 



The Liothrix uses its foot to grasp its prey, like Crateropus canorus, 

 which it resembles in many of its habits. This bird is very active and 

 intelligent, and feeds on fruit and seed as well as insects. It is well- 

 known to amateurs of birds in England as the Pekin Robin ; and has a 

 certain resemblance in size, &c, to the true Robin. It is common in the 

 Himalayas and extends into China. 



Brachypodinss or Bulbuls with the more typical members of the Babbler group 

 I here treat of them as a separate one, that being the position assigned to them by 

 several ornithologists. 



They are less active on their legs and more so on their wings than the Babblers 

 proper, a very practical distinction in habits for those considering the relations of 

 birds to insects. 



