244 The Irish Naturalist December, 



As regards the time and duration of the Iyong-eared Bat's 

 flight, there is still much to be learnt by exact observation ; 

 but a certain number of facts may be stated. 



This bat is decidedly later than the Hairy-armed in appear- 

 ing on the wing. In August, 1900, the time of its first appear- 

 ance about a favourite Ash-tree was noted on nine consecutive 

 evenings, with the following result : — 



August 4th. Long-eared Bat first seen 26 minutes after sunset. 



Thus, in eight evenings out of nine the first appearance 

 was between thirty-two and thirty-seven minutes after sunset. 

 On May 2nd, 1901, a female was caught in the act of leaving 

 her sleeping-place — a hole in a Beech-tree — twenty-eight 

 minutes after sunset. Another example was timed emerging 

 on April 13th — also from a hole in a Beech-tree — fifty-one 

 minutes after sunset. We may, therefore, conclude that 

 some individuals are much later than others in coming out, 

 but that few emerge earlier than half-an-hour after sunset. 

 By what mental process the bats ascertain the time is not 

 clear. 



Having once started on its nocturnal flight, there is good 

 reason to conclude that this animal does not return to its 

 sleeping-place until the following morning, about an hour 

 before sunrise. 



That the Long-eared Bat flies all night was the opinion of 

 Tomes, who writes (xvii., p. 75) of having heard its " shrill 

 chatter" in the fields "at all hours, through thedeadof thenight, 

 and in the darkest nights" ; and who, as we have seen above, 

 had also observed it feeding before sunrise in the morning. 

 At Ballyhyland this bat has been identified on the wing at 

 midnight, as well as at 1.30 a.m., and in the morning twilight. 

 The specimen which was identified at midnight was in the 

 habit of flying in and out of a conservatory, at frequent in- 

 tervals, in quest of moths. By watching until it was seen fly 



