BATS. 77 



LETTER X. 



FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. 



MY BEAR EMILY, 



Mr. Palmer came in this morning after break- 

 fast, to tell us of a remarkable circumstance that had 

 happened in a large room belonging to the parsonage- 

 housO;, which is an ancient building.* A very unplea- 

 sant smell had been observed for some time in this 

 apartment, for which it was not easy to account, when, 

 having occasion to employ a carpenter to make a small 

 opening in the wainscot, in order to repair it, out flew 

 such multitudes of bats as really darkened the place ; 

 according to Mr. Palmer's belief, not less than two 

 hundred. It appears that they had crept in, through 

 a small crevice between the bricks, on the outside of 

 the wall, and so concealed themselves in the cavity 

 between the wall and the wainscot. How long they 

 had been there is uncertain ; but long enough to bring 

 forth and half rear their young, who flew after their 

 parents with that fond attachment that is so striking 

 amongst the various tribes of animals. Some of them, 



* A circumstance, in all respects similar, happened, a few 

 years ago, in a very old house at Tottenham High Cross. 



