1897.] F. Finn — Experiments with various Birds 631 



I now released one of the Yellow- vented Bulbuls, which was weakly, 

 and added a Red-whiskered Bulbul. I must also have put in another of 

 the former species, though my notes do not say so (see infra), 



II. I gave an Acrxa violae to the birds ; a Liothrix took it, but 

 a Yellow-vented Bulbul snatched it and after much mumbling, ate it. 

 Removed the Red-whiskered Bulbul again. 



III. Put in in the morning several " protected " butterflies, mostly 

 Euplceas, with one Delias eucharis. The birds were not keen, except one 

 of the Yellow-vented Bulbuls ; the butterflies, however, were all gone 

 later on. 



I offered the head of an Acrsea to the Chloropsis, but I am not 

 quite sure what he did with it. He took and dropped the head of a 

 Papilio nomius ; but ate two heads of P. demoleus, and several heads of 

 non-warningly coloured species. I then put in three Junonias and a 

 male Hypolimnas with two P. demoleus. One Yellow-vented Bulbul 

 immediately attacked the P. demoleus and ate one ; a Liothrix got the 

 other, and at the same time other Liothrix got most of the non-warn- 

 ingly-coloured butterflies ; I saw the last taken as the Bulbul finished 

 eating its prey. 



I then put in a Junonia, another non-warningly-coloured butterfly, 

 and two Acrseas. The Junonia was soon seized, I think, by a Liothrix, 

 and a Yellow- vented Bulbul then took the second non-warningly-coloured 

 one, which it apparently ate. It then ate in succession the two Acraeas, 

 apparently with no great relish ; but this Bulbul, owing I think to its 

 small bill, is not good at eating butterflies. 



One of the Acrseas had been tried and left by a Liothrix, and 

 another was trying it, but left it quite readily on the Bulbul's 

 approach. 



The keenness of the Liothrix for the Junonias contrasted strongly 

 with their indifference to the Euplosas. 



I then put in the P. nomius, which was before long seized by 

 a Liothrix. A Bulbul also appeared anxious to obtain it. Presently 

 it was dropped, — how, I did not see — but soon taken again by another 

 Liothrix. A Zosterops took it from him, and commenced to eat it, 

 when a Bulbul snatched it, then a Liothrix got it again, and I think 

 it was eaten by one of the last named. I have seen the Chloropsis with 

 bits of wing in his bill, once of B. genutia, and just now he swallowed 

 a bit of an Euploea's wing. 



I now (next day) commenced to give the birds a daily supply of live 

 maggots, a man coming for the purpose, who also gave grass-hoppers. 

 As this alters the conditions of the experiments somewhat, I commence 

 here a new series, begun next day. 



