NOOTULE OR ORl^AT \\\'\\—yoeh'Jifna afffrolnns. 



TiiK Noctum; or Giu;at Bat, is an iiilialjitant of England, and is l)y no means 

 common. It is not a pleasant animal to handle, for it gives forth a most 

 nnpleasant odour. Its ciy is sharp and piercing, thereby producing a curious 

 analogy with the swifts, which are ])opularly known by the name of " Jacky- 

 screamers." 



On account of the great height at which this bat loves to tly, it has been named 

 " altivolans," or "high-flying," and seems to be among bats what the swift is 

 among the swallow tribe. 



It is curious, by the way, to mark the analogy that exists between the swallows 

 and bats. Each of these groups loves the air, and is mostly seen on the wing. 

 Their food consists of the flying insects, which they ^hase by their exquisite 

 command of wing ; and it will be noticed that, as soon as the swallows retire to rest 

 at dusk, after clearing the air of the diurnal insects, the bats issue from their homes, 

 and take up the work, performing the same task with the insects of night, as the 

 birds with those of day. Then, as the dawn breaks, out come the swallows again, 

 and so they fulfil their altemate duties. 



The length of this about from nose to tail is but three inches, and the spread of 

 its wings measures nearly fomleen inches. There arc about fifteen or sixteen 

 kinds of British Bats. 



^'l 



