THE GREATER HORSESHOE BAT 247 



only slightly unfolded, held free but with the membrane partially 

 hiding the body, and when the bat took a beetle from the hand 

 it 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"After a few seconds the head was withdrawn from the 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, prob- 

 ably to get rid of some particles of beetle which were sticking to 

 the teeth or lips. 



" When the beetle was quite finished, and the subsequent 

 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 appeared 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 five 

 to eight each night, but later, when they were regularly feeding 

 themselves, they took as many as ten or twelve, and even occa- 

 sionally sixteen in a night. The quantity eaten 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. 



*' The Horseshoe drinks by lapping with the tongue. It is 

 a thirsty animal, and we can only suppose, from its behaviour 

 in captivity, that it obtains water in its natural state ; possibly, 

 like other bats, it hovers over pools of water and laps whilst on 

 the wing." 



Mr Coward's captives afforded him an opportunity of ascer- 



