MAMMALS OF THE REGION 121 



cave, with ears curled around their heads like the horns 

 of old rams. A number were captured and taken to 

 camp and kept for many days in my room. They 

 would become active during the warm part of the day, 

 but cold and torpid again at night, and roll up their 

 ears in spirals on the sides of their heads. Specimens 

 were saved and photographs taken. The cave is low 

 and comparatively dry and warm. 



These large bats may be known by the long, pointed 

 ears, light brown fur, and wide wings, spreading about 

 twelve inches. 



BIG PALE BAT 



Antrozous pallidus 



These big pale bats were not found alive at or near 

 the Carlsbad Cavern, but several of their wing bones, 

 including three humerus bones easily recognizable, were 

 found in the farthest, deepest room of the cave. They 

 were old and bleached, and had been there many years. 

 The bodies of several dozen were found in a water tank 

 in Slaughter Canyon, where in drinking from the surface 

 of the water they had struck the galvanized iron walls, 

 and had fallen in and were drowned. The tank was 

 some forty feet wide and six feet high, and less than 

 half full of water. These were the only bats found in 

 the water although Eptesicus fuscus and other smaller 

 bats came to drink from the tank in great numbers. 



Big pale bats are still larger than the jack-rabbit bats, 

 with ears almost as long, but broadly rounded at the 

 tips. Their fur is light buffy gray. 



