189&.] Frank Finn — Theory of Warning Colours and Mimicry. 345 



As I intend to make this paper the first of a series, in which I shall 

 record the results obtained by experiments with several more species of 

 birds and with insectivorous animals of other groups, I refrain at 

 present from drawing any general conclusions ; such as can be drawn 

 from the experiments given below will be perfectly obvious to any one 

 who has studied this subject. 



I have much pleasure, however, in here expressing my sincere 

 thanks to Dr. Alcock, Superintendent of the Indian Museum, for the 

 kind interest he has taken in my experiments. To him I owe the ac- 

 commodation of a small aviary for some of my birds, and permission 

 to use the services of the Museum collectors for obtaining insects — 

 requisites indispensable for successful experiments. 



I have also to record my obligations to Mr. L. de Niceville, and to 

 Mr. Barlow of the Museum staff, for assistance in naming the insects 

 herein and after dealt with. 



Experiments with Babblers in confinement. Series A. 



November 11th. — Offered various insects to four Babblers (Crateropus 

 canorus) which I had just bought and placed in a large hutch, after 

 I had given them some boiled rice, which they ate readily. They 

 seized cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) and Catopsilia readily, 

 squabbling over them, and one ate a Terias whole. They tackled two 

 Danais chrysippus just as readily, and I thought I saw one swallowed ; 

 certainly there seemed no difference in their behaviour. 



Later on in the day, giving the birds two more Danaids, they 

 certainly seized and mauled them, but left them for a little while at 

 any rate ; and I found pieces of body and wing from the previous 

 specimens. But these disappeared later. A Delias eucharis was torn 

 to pieces, and some of the body at least eaten before my eyes. 



November 12th. — The Babblers had still some rice left this morning ; 

 I took it away and gave them butterflies. I saw Danais chrysippus 

 and Delias eucharis mauled and left, while of a specimen of a protect- 

 ively-coloured species part at least was eaten. Terias to-day was 

 pecked and left, and even the common Hesperid and a Catopsilia 

 pecked about much ; and though I believe they were eaten in part, 

 I could not be quite sure. 



November 13th. — This morning the Babblers had no food and were 

 hungry when I came to them. They took and mauled three Danais 

 chrysippus, but I saw none eaten ; even one with the wings removed 

 was left. One of them battered and partly at least ate a skipper. 

 A larger skipper (Tagiades) was seized, mauled, and apparently eaten, 

 A Catopsilia had its wings- picked and knocked off and was eaten. A 



