102 
MUSEUM NOTES. 
demolished the head, body, and a good part of the 
wings. I immediately showed her another for which 
she seemed to express the same eagerness. On open¬ 
ing the box, she snatched it out hurriedly as before, 
but this time pulled off the wings first and ate the 
head and body only. The yellow scales from the 
wings seemed distasteful to her, though I think this 
was probably due to their “dusty” or “powdery” 
nature rather than to any unpleasant taste. 
A gaudy Nymphaline ( CetJiosia hypsea, Doubl. and 
Hew.), was also given to her and eaten, after taking 
off the wings which she left altogether. 
Another monkey (. Macacus nemestrinus or “ brok ”) 
ate a purple Euploea ( E . mulciber, Cr.), and two of the 
dull-coloured Geometers (name not noted), all three 
with an expressionless (to me) countenance. Perhaps 
looked a little thoughtful over the Euploea. 
On different occasions I have given Syntomid 
moths to the “ brok.” The black and yellow species, 
S. tetragonaria, Walker, she never seemed to enjoy, 
but usually consumed it rather under protest, and on 
two occasions rejected this species after tasting. The 
black and white species, Trichaeta divisura, Walker, 
and Syntomis eliza, Butler, were eaten slowly. The 
Arctiid, Creatonotus vacillans, Walker, was nearly always 
rejected by both monkeys, sometimes after tasting and 
on other occasions after a mere look at it. 
According to certain theories, many insects are 
gaudily coloured so as to warn would-be enemies of 
certain distasteful properties possessed by them, and it 
is further supposed that these “warning” colours are 
recognised by the majority of insect-eating birds and 
reptiles, so that those insects which are so coloured, 
on the whole escape death in this manner, and only 
fall victims to the young and inexperienced individuals 
among their enemies, and perhaps in times of stress 
to certain very hungry individuals. The evidence sup¬ 
plied bv examining contents of birds’ stomachs and 
those of reptiles (particularly of lizards), is naturally of 
great value for supporting or refuting this theory. And 
if anyone in Sarawak when shooting insect-eating birds 
would cut out the stomach and send it whole or its contents 
only, preserved in spirit to the Museum, much valuable 
evidence could be gradually accumulated. 
