1 66 DTTBLTN NATURAL HISTORY 80CTETY. 



than the bats he was accustomed to see there; they proved to be 

 V. Daubentonii. The bridge in which they resided has a set of small 

 holes in the masonry of the abutment, situated about four feet above 

 the ordinary level of the Barrow, but liable to be submerged by very 

 high floods. The stones around the edges of the holes are polished by 

 the constant running in and out of the bats. On poking a switch into 

 the hole, the bats set up a loud clicking and chirping. In the evening, 

 by means of a gauze butterfly net, held near the mouth of the hole, we 

 procured several specimens of this bat, and one pipistrelle. 



The bats began scrambling and fighting among themselves audibly 

 in the hole at about 8-30 p.m., they did not begin to fly till an hour 

 later; between 930 and 10*30 we counted forty-one bats coming out of 

 the hole, but, in spite of the number abroad, the noise inside seemed 

 just as great as ever. The following evening we counted twenty-nine 

 coming out of the hole ; the weather was harsh and cloudy, and grow- 

 ing gradually more and more tempestuous, the bats began to retire to 

 their den about 10 o'clock. 



The following day was wet and stormy ; only one bat came out, 

 and at 10 o'clock all was quiet. The 27th was a wet day; it cleared 

 in the evening; seventeen bats only came out ; they had grown now very 

 wary, and would not come out unless all was quiet outside. V. Dau- 

 bentonii was easily distinguished on the wing from the pipistrelle, and 

 also when coming out of the hole, as the former flew straight out, while 

 the latter crept to the edge of the wall, and let himself drop from thence. 

 The flight of Daubenton's bat is not so rapid as that of the pipistrelle, 

 nor can he make as quick turns in his flight, hence Daubenton's bat is 

 easier caught ; when struck into the water, this species also floundered 

 about, incapable of rising ; the other just touched it, and was off. The 

 fetid smell of the pipistrelle also was appreciable enough, and its ciy is 

 much shriller than that of Daubentonii. 



Daubenton's bat in confinement was gentle, submitting to be handled, 

 merely gaping with its mouth, and uttering a soft chirp ; it fed on flies 

 and raw meat readily ; when the fly was out of the bat's sight it took 

 no notice of it, even although crawling over its nose. In a room, this 

 bat struck himself repeatedly against the ceiling, &c., endeavouring to 

 escape, and I also captured several by holding the net steadily before 

 the hole. In climbing, the exserted portion of the tail is used as an 

 additional foot. 



The total numbers of bats observed during my trip, and their pro- 

 portions, as nearly as I could judge, were as follows : — 



June 23. V. Daubentonii, 27— Y. Pipistrellus, 14 —Total, 41 



„ 24. „ 20 „ 9 „ 29 



,, 25. ,, 1 ,, ,, 1 



,. 27. „ 11 ,. 6 ., 17 



Total, .... 59 Total, . . 29 Total, 88 



So that here V. Daubentonii is commoner than the so-called common 



