SPAEKOWS IN CAPTIVITY. 47 



sparrow. This same species and two others, Anisodactylus rusticus 

 aud Pterosfichus sayi, each about a half inch in length, were repeat- 

 edly offered to the song sparrow and eaten with avidit}^ These three 

 species, though possessing the pungent secretion, are not so offensive 

 as many others, hence the strength of the dose was increased, and 

 two carabids of disgusting odor, and about equal in size, Nehria 

 paUipes and Plcdynus sp., were placed in the cage. They were eaten 

 with relish. Kext a smaller carabid, Agonoderus paUipes^ was tried. 

 The song sparrow proved to be so fond of this species that he ate 

 fifteen within three minutes. In order to test the strength of the 

 fluid emitted by these beetles, I placed the tip of the abdomen of one 

 of them against my tongue. The resulting sensation was a sour taste, 

 followed b}' an acute burning which lasted for ten minutes. 



A few experiments were then made with the larger, more beneficial 

 beetles. In three instances Harpalus pennsijlv aniens was offei-ed to 

 the song sparrow, and in one case it was eaten, but with no apparent 

 relish. The fact that this beetle could be eaten at all, and without 

 producing any ill effects, seemed strange when it Avas recalled that 

 once when one was accidentallj' mashed against \\\y neck the spot was 

 so severely blistered that the soreness lasted for three days. 



The sparrow's limit in the line of such hot food was found when 

 another carabid (Chlcenius cestivus) was placed in the cage. He 

 seized it immediately, bit it several times, and then swallowed it. In 

 an instant he showed distress, lowered his beak, and attempted 

 vomiting. For several seconds the muscles of his throat worked con- 

 vulsively with a swallowing motion, then he made a vigorous attempt, 

 which lasted for a minute, to disgorge the beetle. He next flew 

 spasmodically^ about the cage, every now and then whetting his bill 

 against the wires. At the end of five minutes he suffered most 

 acutely and stood wabbling from side to side with his mouth wide 

 open and the whole throat rapidly pulsating. At the end of ten 

 minutes it seemed death must ensue, but in ten minutes more he was 

 decidedl}^ better, and in an hour had completely recovered. Several 

 daj's later I put another in the cage. The song sparrow instantly 

 seized it, but, quickly finding out his mistake, hastil}^ dropped it, 

 shaking his head violently and scurrying to the opposite side of the 

 cage. This beetle and other larger useful species seem from these 

 experiments to be safe from the attacks of sparrows, although they 

 are preyed on hy many species of larger birds. 



Quite a number of miscellaneous experiments were carried out with 

 the song sparrow. Skin-beetles {Trox sp.), which derive their popu- 

 lar name from their occurrence on hides in tanyards, and bark-beetles 

 {Trogosita ccerulea), which inhabit the bark of dead trees, were eaten 

 with apparent relish. A long-horned beetle (Xeodyfus erytlirocepha- 

 lus), which is supposed to mimic a wasp, was offered, and Avas eaten 

 without hesitation. A stingless parasitic Avasp (Oplion hilineata), 



