1156 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



as it approached the sohd object from which these had 

 recoiled, and thus the creature had timely warning. 



A comprehensive abstract of an article by Dr. Joseph 

 Schobl, of Prague, regarding the sense-power of Bats, appeared 

 in the American Naturalist for May, 1871:'- 



Dr. Schobl repeated the early experiments, but for the 

 putting out of the eyes he substituted the more humane 

 method of covering them with adhesive plaster. He kept 

 Bats thus treated for a year alive in his room, and entirely 

 confirmed Spallanzani's observations. 



The experiment was repeated in detail recently by A. 

 Whitaker, of Barnsley, Eng. His observations are thus detailed 

 by Millais:" "He obtained a Natterer's Bat and covered its 

 closed eyes with wax, fastening it with a little patch of 

 rubber and solution, and then released the Bat in a room in 

 which it had not been before. When, on previous occasions, 

 other Bats had been at liberty in this room, they had usually 

 circled round close to the ceiling; but this blinded Bat at first 

 flew in a hesitating manner, and then, gaining confidence, went 

 straight towards the closed door. It stopped when about six 

 inches away, and hovered slowly along the line of the top and 

 right down the side, without doubt keeping its position through 

 its sensitiveness to the slight draught which came through the 

 tiny chink. Finding no opening large enough to get through, 

 it flew quickly down the room towards the fireplace, no doubt 

 again feeling the draught, but turned away when it felt the heat 

 of the fire. It flitted then close to the wainscot, hesitating re- 

 peatedly at a spot where the woodwork was a little sprung, and 

 there was again a sensible draught. It flew quickly, passing 

 under chairs, of which there were twelve in the room besides 

 other furniture, and never even touched anything with the tips 

 of its wings. An attempt to catch it showed that, although 

 incapable of sight, it was well able to dodge; but it constantly 

 stopped in its flight, hovered, and scratched at the covering over 

 its eyes. When a stick was held in its direct path, it avoided it 



"Am. Nat., Vol. V., No. 3, May, 1871, pp. 174-';. 



" Mam. G. B. & I., Millais, igo4-.s-6, Vol. I, pp. 96-7. 



