Mr. G. Daniell on the habits and ceconorny of Bats, 389 



the animal itself falling at the same moment with all its membranes 

 expanded, and cowering over the prostrate fly, with its head thrust 

 under in order to secure its prey. When the head was again drawn 

 forth, the membranes were immediately closed, and the fly was ob- 

 served to be almost invariably taken by the head. Mastication ap- 

 peared to be a laboured operation, consisting of a succession of eager 

 bites or snaps, and the sucking process (if it may be so termed) by 

 which the insect was drawn into the mouth being much assisted by 

 the looseness of the lips. Several minutes were employed in devour- 

 ing a large fly. In the first instance the flies were eaten entire ; but 

 Mr. Daniell afterwards observed detached wings in the bottom of the 

 box. These, however, he never saw rejected, and he is inclined to 

 think that they are generally swallowed. A slice of beef attached to 

 the side of the box was found not only to save trouble in feeding, 

 but also by attracting the flies to afl^ord good sport in observing the 

 animals obtain their own food by this new kind of bat- fowling. Their 

 olfactory nerves appear to be very acutely sensible. When hanging 

 by their posterior extremities, and attached to one of the bars in 

 front of the cage, a small piece of beef placed at a little distance from 

 their noses would remain unnoticed ; but when a fly was placed in 

 the same situation they would instantly begin snapping after it. The 

 beef they would eat when hungry ; but they never refused a fly. In 

 the day-time they sometimes clustered together in a corner; but 

 towards evening they became very lively, and gave rapid utterance 

 to their harsh, grating notes. One of them died on the fifth day after 

 they came into Mr. Daniell's possession ; two on the fourteenth : the 

 fourth survived until the eighteenth; and the fifth until the nineteenth 

 day. Each was found to contain a single /cb^m5. 



On the 1 6th of May, 1834, Mr. Daniell procured from Hertfordshire 

 five specimens of the Fesper^zVio Noctula, four females and one male. 

 The latter was exceedingly restless and savage, biting the females, 

 and breaking his teeth against the wires of the cage, in his attempts 

 to escape from his place of confinement. He rejected food and died 

 on the 18th. Up to this time the remaining four continued sulky; 

 but towards evening they ate a few small pieces of raw beef, in pre- 

 ference to flies, beetles, or gentles, all of which were off"ered to 

 them : only one of them, however, fed kindly. On the 20th one 

 died, and on the 22nd two others, each of which was found to be 

 pregnant with a single /fl?^w5. The survivor was tried with a variety 

 of food, and evincing a decided preference for the hearts, livers, &c. 

 of fowls, was fed constantly upon them for a month. In the course 

 of this time large flies were frequently off^ered to her, but they were 

 always rejected, although one or two May Chafers, Melolontha vul- 

 garis. Fab., were partially eaten. In taking the food the wings were 

 not thrown forward as in the Pipistrelle ; and the food was seized 

 with an action similar to that of a dog. The water that drained from 

 the food was lapped, but the head was not raised in drinking, as 

 Mr. Daniell had observed it to be in the Pipistrelle. The animal 

 took considerable pains in cleaning herself, using the posterior ex- 

 tremities as a comb, parting the hair on either side from head to tail, 



