484 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



but never on such a large and complete scale, neither so 

 splendid nor so lasting as to colours. Something similar, 

 though fainter and transient, may also be observed at times 

 on filmy soap-bubbles, when blowing them. Truly the sight 

 was a gorgeous one. 



5. On a Bat. 



On some fine evenings in August I was much pleased in 

 watching the tortuous Sittings of a bat, not having noticed one 

 for many years. Here, at Dannevirke, in the township, in 

 open spaces amoug the houses, the little creature seemed to 

 enjoy itself. Yet, while it was quick in its flight, it repeatedly 

 dou])led, making only short zig-zag turns, with niuch irregular 

 rising and falling — perhaps in its pursuit of insects flying, as 

 its food. Formerly bats were not rare ; indeed, they have 

 been found in little flocks (or more properly, perhaps, a cluster) 

 in our short winter season, securely hibernating in hollow 

 trees in the woods. No doubt their present scarcity around 

 our rural townships is owing to the extensive felling and 

 burning of the neighbouring forests, in which they too were 

 destroyed. 



On two occasions about forty years ago I kept a bat in a 

 cage in my dwellinghouse. One of them lived three or four 

 weeks. It was a pretty little animal, with its velvet coat 

 (reminding me of that of an English mole), bright black bead- 

 like ej'es, and very sharp and white teeth. It often amused 

 us of an evening in the twilight, when it was taken out of its 

 cage and allowed to fly about the sitting-room, which it fully 

 explored, always dexterously avoiding coming into contact 

 with the cross-beams or any article of furniture ; now and then 

 resting by clinging to the walls with its wings expanded. As 

 these little creatures take their food (small living insects on 

 the wing) during their short irregular flights, and as there 

 were none in the room, it was fed by hand with a few small 

 flies, which it ate with avidity ; but it was quite, a task for it 

 to master a small bluebottle fly, making, too, such a ludicrous 

 fuss over it in its chewing and champing ! It always managed 

 them better when their wings were taken off. 



G. On the Great Docility and aiiparent Want of Fear of 

 Man -in Young Lambs. 



It is always a pleasing and interesting sight in the spring, 

 in the lambing season, to see the young lambs " frisking about 

 by the sides of their dams." Youth and age without cavil 

 must equally take delight in witnessing this. When many 

 ewes are together on the plains with their lambs, and all so 

 very much alike, it seems as if it must be a difficult matter for 

 each dam to know its own young ones, or for the young lambs 



