522 General Notes. [ July, 
Forest and Stream at Coralville, Iowa, and by another at Ames in 
the same State.” In a small aviary which I keep for better observ- 
ing the habits of our native and several foreign song birds, the 
same preference in the selection of food was noticed by myself. 
September 18, 1879, I found in the flower bed of my yard, a 
potato beetle (Doryphora decem-lineata), which I intended to give 
to my cardinal grosbeak ( Cardinalis virginianus). After placing 
it in the cage, it was with difficulty that I prevented the rose- 
breasted grosbeak (Hydemeles ludoviciana) from seizing it at 
once. Knowing the potato beetle to be poisonous, at least to the 
genus omo, I did not care to try experiments with the tame 
rose-breasted grosbeak, my sweetest songster in the aviary. I ha 
often before noticed, that the cardinal grosbeak had a fondness for 
beetles, and naturally supposed that he was better qualified to 
judge of the wholesomeness of the food offered. 
The latter bird watched the beetle very attentively as it crept 
over the floor, but seemed to be in no hurry to capture it as he 
would other beetles. Finally he took hold of and crushed it be- 
tween his mandibles. He tried to swallow it, but not finding the 
taste very appetizing, he gladly yielded up the unsavory morsel 
to the repeated snatchings of the rose-breasted grosbeak. After 
crushing it into a shapeless mass, which occupied but a few 
seconds, he carefully stowed it away. I thought he seemed not 
to enjoy the taste very much, as he gravely shook his handsome 
head as if in a doubtful mood. Wiping off his bill, he immediately 
afterwards proceeded to eat a quantity of cultivated portulaca that 
I offered as a precautionary measure. Portulaca stems and leaves 
contain much mucilage, which I thought would be an antidote to 
the possible acrid quality of the juice of Doryphora decem-hneata. 
The usual result of poisoning from handling these crushed beetles, 
as well as from inhaling the fumes arising from vessels in which D. 
decem-lineata have been scalded, has been likened to serpent and 
scorpion-poisoning. Where death followed, the blood would be- 
come disorganized the same as from septzemia. However, in the 
case of the birds no evil effects were noticed. In mankind, idio- 
syncrasy favors the absorption of the volatile doryphora poison. 
In looking over my notes, I find also that the cardinal grosbeak 
is fond of the rose beetle (Macrodactylus subspinosus), a species of 
an ill-smelling bug frequently found on the fruit of raspberries, 
and centipedes he always devoured, whereas none of the others 
would go near them. Sow bugs (Oniscus asellus L.) were eaten by 
the cardinal grosbeak and yellow-breasted chat (/cteria virens).— 
Richard E. Kunze, New York. 
Can Snaits MEND THEIR SHELLS.—Having some doubts whether 
snails are able to mend their shells when broken, I procured a full 
grown water snail (Lymunea elodes Say), and with a pair of pinchers 
broke out a semi-circular piece, the size of a half dime, and then 
