RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS, 119 
the Field newspaper, begging that some of its readers 
would co-operate in making observations on what in- 
sects were rejected by birds, at the same time fully 
explaining the great interest and scientific importance 
of the problem. It is a curious example of how few of 
the country readers of that paper are at all interested 
in questions of simple natural history, that I only 
obtained one answer from a gentleman in Cumber- 
land, who gave me some interesting observations on 
the general dislike and abhorrence of all birds to the 
“Gooseberry Caterpillar,” probably that of the Magpie- 
moth (Abraxas grossulariata). Neither young phea- 
sants, partridges, nor wild-ducks could be induced to 
.eat it, sparrows and finches never touched it, and all 
birds to whom he offered it rejected it with evident 
dread and abhorrence. It will be seen that these ob- 
servations are confirmed by those of two members of 
the Entomological Society to whom we are indebted 
for more detailed information. 
In March, 1869, Mr. J. Jenner Weir communicated a 
valuable series of observations made during many years, 
but more especially in the two preceding summers, in 
his aviary, containing the following birds of more or 
less insectivorous habits :-——Robin, Yellow-Hammer, 
Reed-bunting, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Crossbill, Thrush, 
Tree-Pipit, Siskin, and Redpoll. He found that hairy. 
caterpillars were uniformly rejected; five distinct species 
were quite unnoticed by all his birds, and were allowed 
to crawl about the aviary for days with impunity. The 
spiny caterpillars of the Tortoiseshell and Peacock but- 
