1180 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



Time is an important element in all Bat fly-ways, and 

 Dr. A. K. Fisher's observations help us to place this species in 

 the nightly time-table of the out-doors. Excepting that the 

 Hoary-bat is still later and is probably not reckoned with in his 

 observations, mine agree with those of Dr. Fisher. 



Writing of the Big Brown-bats, he says:' "They are the 

 last to make their appearance in the evening. In fact, when it 

 gets so dark that objects are blended in one uncertain mass, and 

 the bat-hunter finds that he is unable to shoot with any pre- 

 cision, the Carolina Bats make their appearance as mere dark 

 shadows, flitting here and there, while busily engaged in 

 catching insects. We have to make a snapshot as they dodge 

 in and out from behind the dark tree-tops, and are left in doubt 

 as to the result until in the gloom we may perchance see our 

 little 'black-and-tan,' seemingly as interested in the result as 

 we are, pointing the dead animal." 



The breeding habits of this Bat are unknown. 



BREED- Probably they rut in late summer and produce their 2 



young in late spring, but I can find no positive evidence of it, 



which is the more remarkable since this is a conspicuous and 



abundant species, and was one of the earliest to be described. 



FOOD Their food no doubt differs chiefly in quantity from that of 



ING 



HABITS 



the smaller species. Dr. R. W. Shufeldt says:- 



"They drink a good deal and have simply enormous appe- 

 tites. One specimen, in the course of a single night, consumed 

 21 full-grown June-bugs (Lachnosierna fusca), leaving only a 

 few legs and the hard outside wing-sheaths." 



ENE.viiEs By nature of their retreats and their wonderful powers of 



flight, the Bats have few enemies to fear, and it was a surprise 

 to me when I read in Bailey's "Biological Survey of Texas''^ 

 that: "At Mr. C. O. Finley's ranch, at the west base of the 



' Forest and Stream, July 21, 1881, p. 4go. 



' Chapters, Nat. Hist. United States, 1897, p. 440. 



' N. A. Fauna, No. 25, 1905, p. 211. 



