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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



then be seen turned round, with its tip and the margin of the mem- 

 brane pressed against the stomach, forming a capital trap, hohling 

 the fly, the captor remaining on his back till he had withdrawn the 

 fly from the bag. 



" I had no opportunity of observing the action when the bat was in 

 full flight ; but, if the insect was captured a few inches from the side 

 of the cage, the mode was the same ! When flying, the interfemoral 



Fig. 2. Long-eared English Bat {Tlecotus auritus). 



membrane is not extended to a flat surface (and appears not capable 

 of being so stretched), but always preserves a more or less concave 

 form, highly calculated to serve the purposes of a skim-net to capture 

 insects on the wins. 



" Occasionally, when the bat was sleepy, sitting at the bottom of 

 the cage, nodding his head, a poor, silly ' blue-bottle fly,' no doubt 

 of tender age, and not read in the natural history of the Vespertilio- 

 nidm, with the greatest confidence walked quietly under the bat, 

 passing nose, ear, and eyes, without danger ; but, immediately he 

 touched the sensitive membrane of the bag, it was closed upon him, 

 and there was no retreat except by being helped out of the difiiculty 

 by the teeth of the bat. 



" I was much entertained last summer with a tame bat which would 

 take flies out of a person's hand. If you gave it any thing to eat, it 

 brought its wings round before the mouth, hovering and hiding its 

 head in the manner of birds of prey when they feed. The adroitness 

 it showed in shearing ofi'the wings of the flies, which were always re- 

 jected, was worthy of observation, and pleased me much. Insects 

 seemed to be most acceptable, though it did not refuse raw flesh when 

 ofiered. ... I saw it several times confute the vulgar opinion that 



