FLYING FOXES 137 



rising members of the community awake from their 

 disturbed slumbers, and make preparation for the work 

 of the night. They take to their wings and fly about 

 over the roosting -trees. Gradually they are joined 

 by their companions who, one by one, spread out their 

 leathery pinions ; and soon the whole colony is in 

 motion. The mere fact of flying through the air seems 

 to put the creatures in a better frame of mind, for the 

 discordant clamour above described is no longer heard. 

 It is replaced by another cry, which, if not pleasing 

 to the ear, does not set one's teeth on edge. The flying 

 fox, as it sails through the air with easy motion, gives 

 vent to a sound intermediate between the " quack " of a 

 duck and the " caw " of a crow. 



As the veil of darkness begins to fall over the face of 

 the earth, the members of the bat colony cease from 

 circling round the roosting-trees and fly off" in various 

 directions in long columns, each bound for some orchard 

 or fruit-tree. 



Flying foxes live almost exclusively on fruit ; and 

 greedy brutes they are. Each one probably devours 

 more than its own weight of fruit during the night, and 

 doubtless destroys as much as it consumes. Seeing 

 that the population of fruit-eating bats within munici- 

 pal limits must number several thousands, it is not 

 surprising that one's butler is continually assuring one 

 that fruit is difficult to procure in Madras. The 

 amount of damage done to orchards by these flying 

 foxes must be enormous. Indeed, letters of complaint 

 have appeared in the " Madras Mail " from those who 

 have suffered at the hands of the frugivorous Cheiroptera. 



