345 
1895.] Frank Finn —Theory of Warning Colours and Mimicry. 
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 lias 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 
Nanais 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 ej^es. 
November 12th .—The Babblers had still some rice left this morning ; 
I took it away and gave them butterflies. I saw Nanais chrysippus 
and Nelias 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 Nanais 
chrysippusy 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 
