664 F. Finn — Experiments with various Birds. [No. 4, 



I then gave the Starling a Huphina phryne, and another non- 

 warningly-colonred butterfly, both of which it ate at once, as also an 

 Atella which I then gave it. 



I took out the second P. aristolochise. 



I put in then Euploea, D. chrysippus, and J), genutia. The bird 

 at once ate the Euplcea. 



Some time after, maggots having been given to the bird in the 

 meantime and eaten, I found in the Starling's cage the one P. aristo- 

 lochise left there untouched, also the D. chrysippus ; the D. genutia had 

 been pecked to pieces, but not eaten, except perhaps the head. The 

 bird had now no food but a little fruit, so 1 gave it some green insects. 



Two hours or so after, the Starling, in whose cage some insects still 

 remained, had not eaten the butterflies above-mentioned (P. aristolochise, 

 D. chrysippus and D. genutia) ; nor were they eaten when I looked next 

 morning. After this I ceased experimenting, and took the bird to the 

 Zoological Gardens. 



Experiments with Mynah. 



I also made at different times a few experiments with a close ally of 

 the Starling, the Common Mynah {Acridotheres tristis) with birds at 

 liberty. 



July 9th, 1895. — I gave a Papilio demoleus to a wild Mynah which 

 I had seen trying to get at some butterflies in an insect-cage. The bird 

 knocked off most part of this butterfly's wings and flew off with the body. 

 July lith. — I put a disabled Danais genutia in the compound, when 

 a Mynah, which was on a building, came down almost at once, seized 

 and battered the insect, and ate most of it ; I found the head and a bit 

 of thorax (attacked by ants) and some wings on the ground. 



I then put out another, and a Catopsilia ; but they remained un- 

 noticed by the Mynahs for some time. 



July 17th. — I put a disabled Catopsilia and D. limniace in view of 

 two Mynahs. One of them took first the Catopsilia, which was nearest, 

 then the Danais, beat them on the ground, singly and together, knocking 

 off a fore-wing of each ; it then flew with them to a high building, 

 where I did not see what followed. 



November 2nd. — I put out a disabled Papilio arutolochim and 

 P. demoleus on a lawn. Two Mynahs came near, and one ran to the 

 P. demoleus and pecked it about, while the other, after looking on and 

 possibly pecking the insect also, went up to the P. aristolochise, which 

 it pecked, but left almost immediately. 



On going up to the spot, I found the P. demoleus uneaten, but 

 minus its head, and the other intact, though motionless. 



