NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



attempts to take it in their mouths, quantities are 

 detached from the twigs and drop to the ground. 



When there are no orchards to rob, these bats 

 betake themselves to the forest trees and feast upon 

 the buds, flowers, berries, and wild fruits. In the 

 past they have acted as efficient agents in sewing 

 the seeds of native trees and shrubs far and wide, 

 for the fertility of the seeds which are swallowed is 

 not impaired in the least by passing through their 

 bodies. 



All species of Fruit Bats may safely be classed as 

 foes to the human race. On the approach of dawn 

 the Fruit Bat flies off to some safe retreat in 

 the shadiest part of a forest, and roosts among the 

 branches. When sleeping, it grips a twig with one 

 or both hind claws, and hangs suspended with its 

 wings folded. When the weather is wet or cold, the 

 head is enveloped by a portion of one wing. On the 

 slightest alarm the bat drops from its perch and flies 

 off through the foliage, and is instantly lost sight of. 

 They often congregate in great numbers at the roost- 

 ing-places, chattering, squeaking, and quarrelling 

 over the possession of the most favourable spots in 

 which to pass the night. 



The most favoured sleeping-places about towns 

 and villages are the old gum trees, under the loose 

 bark of which they sleep, or on which they hang. 

 Several of them were hanging to the rough bark of a 

 gum tree within a dozen feet of me, yet although I 

 was looking direct at them, they were barely discer- 



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