Contributions to the theory of natural selection. A series of essays ... By Alfred Russel Wallace ...

RESEMBLAiNCES AMONG ANIMALS. 119
the Field newspaper, begging that some of its readers
would co-operate in making observations on what insects were rejected by birds, at the same time fully
explaining the great interest and scientific importance
of the problem. It is a curious example of how few of
the country readers of that paper are at all interested
in questions of simple natural history, that I only
obtained one answer from a gentleman in Cumberland, who gave me some interesting observations on
the general dislike and abhorrence of all birds to the
" Gooseberry Caterpillar,'" probably that of the Magpiemoth (Abraxas grossulariata). Neither young pheasants, partridges, nor wild-ducks could be induced to
eat it, sparrows and finches never touched it, and all
birds to whom he offered it rejected it with evident
dread and abhorrence. It will be seen that these observations are confirmed by those of two members of
the Entomological Society to whom we are indebted
for more detailed information.
In March, 1869, M1r. J. Jenner Weir communicated a
valuable series of observations made during many years,
but more especially in the two preceding summers, in
his aviary, containing the following birds of more or
less insectivorous habits:-R-obin, Yellow- Hammer,
Reed-bunting, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Crossbill, Thrush,
Tree-Pipit, Siskin, and Redpoll. He found that hairy
caterpillars were uniformly rejected; five distinct species
were quite unnoticed by all his birds, and were allowed
to crawl about the aviary for days with impunity. The
spiny caterpillars of the Tortoiseshell and Peacock but