◎魏國金
Cigarette butts are widely reviled as an urban nuisance but birds in Mexico City see them as a boon, apparently using them to deter parasites from their nests, scientists say.
菸蒂被廣泛痛斥為城市公害，不過墨西哥市的鳥兒卻視其為一項恩惠；牠們顯然利用菸蒂阻斷寄生蟲入侵鳥巢，科學家說。
Local sparrows and finches incorporate smoked cigarette butts in their nests to provide cosy cellulose lining for their chicks and nicotine to ward off mites, they believe.
當地麻雀與雀鳥在其巢內混入抽過的菸蒂，為幼鳥提供舒適的纖維內襯，尼古丁則可避開小跳蚤，他們認為。
A team led by Constantino Macias Garcia at the National Autonomous University monitored 57 nests and found that the tally of bugs declined as the number of smoked butts in each nest increased.
由國立自治大學學者賈西亞率領的一個團隊監測57個鳥巢，發現當每個鳥巢裡的菸屁股數量增加時，小蟲數量就下降。
Sparrow nests had between none and 38 used butts, with an average of eight per nest, and finch nests between none and 48, with an average of 10.
麻雀巢有0到38個用過的菸蒂，平均每巢有8個菸蒂，雀鳥巢有0到48個用過的菸蒂，平均為10個。
The behaviour is an example of how birds adapt to an urban environment, according to the study, which appears on Wednesday in the journal Biology Letters, published by Britain’s Royal Society.
根據該研究，這項行為是鳥類如何適應城市環境的例子之一，研究成果週三刊登在英國皇家學會出版的生物學通訊期刊上。
In non-urban settings, some birds line their nests with aromatic plants, which are thought to have antiparasitic properties or to stimulate the nestlings’ immune system.
在非城市環境，一些鳥類會以香料植物做為巢的內裡，相關植物被認為具有防蟲特性或能刺激雛鳥的免疫系統。
Nicotine, a byproduct of the tobacco plant, has also been used in some pest repellents for crops and in controlling poultry parasites.（AFP）
菸草植物的附產品尼古丁，也被用在作物的一些驅蟲劑與控制家禽寄生蟲上。（法新社）
新聞辭典
revile︰動詞，辱罵、痛斥。例句︰They were reviled as extremists.（他們被痛斥為極端份子。）
nuisance︰名詞，惱人之物（或事情、行為）。例句：This old chair is a thorough nuisance.（這把舊椅子真是個累贅。）
ward off︰動詞片語，擋開、避免、防止。例句︰Warding off old age is in large part a matter of staying active.（防止衰老在很大程度上取決於多活動。）
文章出處：自由時報電子報中英對照新聞
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