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Show 272 MR. E. B. POULTON ON THE PROTECTIVE [Mar. 1, of their food for purposes of defence. However, the Lizards fought eagerly for the larvse, and the two successful ones were separated from the rest and remained perfectly healthy. June 21.-I. A n imago of Smerinthus populi was eaten by the next day, having been seized at once. III. One imago of S. populi and two cockchafers (Melolontha vulgaris) were introduced ; by the next day the former and one cockchafer had been eaten. June 25.-I. One imago of S. lubricipeda was eaten at once, and many imagos of P. bueephala. III. One imago oi S. ligustri was eaten in a few minutes. July 1.-I. One imago of S. lubricipeda and one of Macroglossa fuciformis were soon eaten, the former at once. The Lizard did not seize the M. fuciformis with any caution, as if afraid of a sting. July 4.-I. Three pupse and two larvse of Vanessa urtica were eaten at once; one larva of P. auriflua was seized at once and chewed for some time, but it was ultimately relinquished, the Lizard seeming to be much irritated by the hairs, and continually opening its mouth. Two imagos of Ennomos angularia and one of A. psi were taken at once. One unnamed larva of a Sawfly was seized and relinquished, but apparently taken again. IV. Two pupae of V. urtica were soon taken. V. Three pupse of V. urtica were soon taken. VI. One imago of S. ligustri taken. August 14.- I. Six imagos of Vanessa io and about eight of V. urtica were introduced, and many were seized at once; but the Lizards were apparently not very eager after them, although they were hungry. However, in twenty-four hours all had disappeared except one V. io, which had got into an inaccessible place, but when brought down it was eaten at once. August 16.-I. A few larvse of V. urtica were eaten at once. Two larvse of Euchelia jacobaa were seized at once but relinquished, the Lizards being very hungry. A few hours afterwards they had disappeared and were very probably eaten; but I do not feel able to speak with confidence, as the larvae are small and might possibly have escaped. September 6.-On this date L. muralis and L. viridis were taken to Birmingham and offered distasteful larvse at a meeting of the Biological Section of the British Association. One larva of P. bueephala was placed in the cage of L. muralis, and although it was often very severely bitten and for some considerable time by many of the Lizards, it was not eaten. For a day or two before this date the same species of larva had been placed in the cages of L. muralis and L. viridis, and some of them had disappeared, so that I believed that they must have been eaten. Subsequently I was able to confirm this suspicion, for when I was removing the individuals of L. muralis from the travelling cage (Sept. 7), I found the fseces of one of them upon the floor, the excreta consisting entirely of a partially digested larva of P. bueephala. |