164 WALTER LOUIS HAHN. 



the time clinging to the sides of the cages near the top, but went 

 down now and then to get water. As long as they were undis- 

 turbed they moved about little and remained in good health. 

 Some M. liicifiigiis obtained in Mammoth Cave, November 8 

 were kept alive until March 26. When taken out and held in 

 the hand or placed in a warm room and touched occasionally, 

 their temperature gradually rose, and in from ten to fifteen 

 minutes they usually began to creep about, and then to fly. For 

 some reason that I have not discovered, the animals never lived 

 long when they were disturbed frequently. From February 10 

 to March 3 was the longest that I was able to keep a bat in good 

 health when using it daily for experiment. It is possible that the 

 dry atmosphere of the steam-heated rooms is not suitable for 

 them. 



A characteristic of bats, liberated in a large room where they 

 can fly about, is the tendency of an individual to alight frequently 

 in the same place. 



Another noteworthy tendency is that of exploring every nook 

 and corner of a room. It results in finding any crevices through 

 which it is possible to escape. This tendency must have been of 

 incalculable importance to animals accustomed to spending much 

 of their time in dark retreats, reached only through small and 

 winding passages. 



( To be continued. ) 



