LONG-EARED BAT. 9 



and in the neighbourhood of old buildings. In the day- 

 time they lie concealed in dark and retired places. 

 Hundreds of them may sometimes be found clustered 

 together, almost like a swarm of bees. In their flight 

 they catch and devour small insects, such as gnats, 

 flies, and several kinds of moths. This accounts for 

 their unsteady course through the air. They are able 

 to walk and run with tolerable rapidity, though with 

 great apparent clumsiness ; and they have no difficulty, 

 whatever, in rising from the flattest surface into the air. 

 It is a singular fact, that bats, even with their eyes 

 and their ears closed, are able to fly about in the darkest 

 places, without, at any time, beating themselves against 

 the walls. And, when flying in a room, they never, 

 like birds, strike against the windows. During the 

 winter time they are seldom to be seen abroad, but 

 continue torpid nearly the whole of that season. If 

 this were not the case, they must die of hunger, as a 

 full supply of their natural food could not then be 

 found. The females usually produce two young ones at 

 a birth. 



The general size and colour of these bats greatly re- 

 semble those of a mouse. The membranes are smooth, 

 and nearly of the same colour as the body. The ears are 

 naked, and shorter than the head. 



The Long -eared Eat. In its habits, as well as as its 

 general colour and form, this bat resembles the last 

 species. Its ears, however, are of great length, and 

 are double, having, in the inside of each, a small, pointed 

 valve, or secondary ear. The outer valves, when the ani- 

 mals sleep, are folded down under the legs, leaving the 

 inner ones only visible j and thus, by a wise contrivance, 



B 3 



