146 walter louis hahn. 



Enemies. 



Very few enemies molest bats in their roosting places in the 

 caves. In Eller's Cave I saw evidence that raccoons had been 

 preying on them. It is said that cats have learned to catch the 

 flying bats in Wyandotte Cave. No doubt other carnivora some- 

 times kill them, but on the whole they are practically free from 

 molestation in the caves. While living in trees they are doubt- 

 less preyed upon more frequently. In two instances I have 

 known them to be driven from their roost by birds, once by a 

 robin and once by a blue jay. The barn and great horned owls 

 and the sparrow-hawk have been known to eat them in rare in- 

 stances. 



Their enemies are so few, however, that they have no sense 

 of fear comparable to that of other small mammals. A sharp 

 noise will sometimes startle them into activity. If wide awake 

 they may fly before they can be picked up by hand or net, or if 

 caught they often struggle to get free. But there is never any 

 attempt to " lay low " or to flee from approaching danger. When 

 kept in cages they do not pay the slightest attention to the pre- 

 sence of man, nor try to escape his hand if he attempts to pick 

 them up, even when first brought into captivity. The absence 

 of fear has a marked effect upon the habits and mental life of the 

 animals. Only in such species as are without natural enemies is 

 it possible that there can be such long periods of inactivity or 

 such a deep lethargy in normal sleep. 



Periods of Activity and Rest. 

 Bats are usually active only in the twilight and darkness during 

 warm or moderate weather. The earliest date at which I have 

 seen them flying at a distance from their dwelling place was 

 March 3, 1906, at Washington, D. C. The evening was balmy 

 but there was snow on the ground in places. The latest date I 

 have seen them was November 8, 1906. The evening was warm 

 but had been preceded by some hard frosts. I have seen them 

 come to the mouth of a cave in midwinter and turn back when 

 they felt the cold air. On warm winter nights they no doubt 

 prolong these excursions. 



