482 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VoL. XXXIII. 
from the attacks of birds; while other investigators have been 
tempted, when they found in particular instances that facts, 
apparently, did not coincide with current views, to abandon 
the theory entirely. Butler fully realizes the fact that very 
broad generalizations are almost impossible, since, as he states, 
there is no insect that will not be refused at some time by 
some birds, and there are no insects that one can be sure will 
not be eaten by some birds under certain conditions. Beddard, 
after reviewing his own experiments and those of Wallace, 
Butler, Weir, Morgan, Weisemann, and Poulton, states that 
there is the greatest difficulty in drawing broad conclusions ; 
and he, moreover, points out the fact that, in the case of the 
insects that are refused, it is not usually on account of color 
alone, but more often for the reason of a collection of disa- 
greeable attributes, such as spininess, conspicuous coloration, 
and bad flavor. 
It seems to me that many caterpillars that have warning 
coloration are refused in part because they are hairy, because 
birds refuse inconspicuous hairy caterpillars as well as showy 
ones; and, moreover, cuckoos which feed upon hairy cater- 
pillars do not avoid those of conspicuous pattern. Neverthe- 
less, the hairiness of caterpillars must be ranked as highly 
efficient in protecting them from birds. The showy, ill- 
flavored Coccinellidaz may be awarded almost as high a place, 
and the elm-leaf beetle, not showily colored, should be rated 
even higher. The Diabroticas, Doryphoras, and several other 
similar beetles should be also reckoned as possessing compara- 
tive immunity from many birds. 
Wherein lies the reason for the comparatively high scale of 
immunity of plant lice and rose chafers (Macrodactylus) I know 
not. It is a fact that the smaller Carabidz, such as Anisodac- 
tylus, Amara, Nebria, Agonoderus, and Harpalus, are eaten 
much more frequently than Galerita, Carabus, and Calosoma. 
And from birds the size of sparrows and smaller it is doubtless 
true that large Carabids are well protected. Nevertheless, we 
know that the large insectivorous birds are not baffled by the 
irritating fluids these insects emit. 
Among the Lampyridz, Chauliognathus appears to have 
