MancJiester Memoirs^ Vol. hi. {igoZ), No. 11. 7 



beat rapidly with both arms but did not grasp with the 

 thumb. Directly the beetle was in the bat's jaws the wings 

 were further opened, and hung quite loosely whilst the 

 beetle was being devoured. 



After a few seconds the head was withdrawn from 

 the wing and the beetle masticated ; the rejected portions 

 fell, and the bat, generally suspended by one leg, swung 

 from side to side. This swinging round was even more 

 remarkable when both feet were attached to some hold ; 

 the animal could then turn almost completely round, 

 crossing its legs, without altering the position of its feet. 

 When the beetle was finished, the bat usually bent 

 forward, and two or three times touched the object from 

 which it was suspended lightly with its lips ; this was 

 especially noticeable when a bat had been feeding when 

 hanging from my hand. Frequently, also, one leg was 

 brought forward, and the teeth scratched or the lips 

 combed by the claws, probably to get rid of some par- 

 ticles of beetle which were sticking to the teeth or lips. 



When the beetle was quite finished and the sub- 

 sequent performances had been gone through, the bat 

 hung, bending its whole body forward, turning from side 

 to side, and moving its head, ears and nose-leaf with 

 great rapidity ; it appears to be looking for food, but 

 perhaps searching for prey would be a more correct way 

 of expressing it. 



At first the number of beetles eaten per bat was from 

 5 to 8 each night, but later, when they were regularly 

 feeding themselves, they took so many as 10 or 12, and 

 even occasionally 16 in a night. The number did not 

 depend upon the number left in the cage, for frequently 

 beetles were untouched in the morning; this may, however, 

 have been due to inability on the part of the bats to find 

 and secure them all. 



