BURMESE BIRDS EATING BUTTERFLIES 289 



and dropped to the ground among the herbage and fallen 

 leaves, as is the habit of Melcmitis. The king-crow 

 hovered for a minute not three feet from the ground 

 over the exact spot where I had noticed the butterfly 

 drop, failed to see it, flew off, but returned and again 

 hovered over the spot, but was again unsuccessful, and 

 flew up to a tree. I went forward very cautiously, and 

 having carefully noted the spot where the butterfly had 

 dropped, was enabled to make it out, but not till after 

 fully ten minutes of patient and very cautious looking. 

 The Melcmitis was there among dead leaves, its wings 

 folded, and looking for all the world a dead dry leaf itself. 

 With regard to Melanitis, I have not seen it recorded 

 anywhere that the species of this genus when disturbed 

 fly a little way, drop suddenly into the undergrowth with 

 closed wings, and invariably lie a little askew and slanting, 

 which still more increases their likeness to a dead leaf 

 casually fallen to the ground. 



' Only once again did I see the systematic hawking of 

 butterflies by birds. The second occurrence was also by 

 bee-eaters ; this time it was the large Merops philippinus. 

 I had been up in the Salween forests beyond the great 

 rapids, and had managed to get a bad bout of fever, which 

 necessitated my returning to Moulmein, my headquarters. 

 It was a hot steamy day in October, and I was lying with 

 the hot fever fit on me in the boat on the Salween below 

 Shwegon, when I noticed clouds of butterflies, chiefly 

 Catopsilia, migrating, crossing the Salween from east to 

 west in a continuous stream. These were being persis- 

 tently hawked by the Merops, mixed with which were 

 some king-crows.' 



With regard to Microhierax coerulescens catching butter- 

 flies, I find the following note ; — 



'March 20, 188 1. . . . Passing through a taungyah on 

 my way back to camp, I noticed a number of butterflies, 

 some seated, some hovering round a spot where some 

 Karens had been eating their food, and had left some rice 

 and gnapi scattered on the ground. I was approaching 

 the butterflies cautiously to see what species were there, 

 when a small black-and-white bird came down from a tree 



POULTON U 



