BRITISH ^BATS. 39 



organ was frequently used in removing any extra- 

 neous substance that might have adhered to them. 

 After having been in my possession some few weeks, 

 one of the females produced a young one a little 

 dusky monster, covered with a wrinkled skin of a 

 dull leaden colour, and having the wings as yet 

 very imperfectly developed. Altogether, he pre- 

 sented a most imp-like appearance ; and should any 

 future disciple of Fuseli wish to paint anything 

 more than usually grotesque or weird-like, I would 

 decidedly recommend him to study from a young 

 noctule bat. Towards the end of the second week 

 the eyes opened, and a light brownish fur began to 

 develop itself. The little beast seemed to enjoy 

 life in an amazing degree, as, frequently leaving 

 his mother, he would disport himself by a scramb- 

 ling wallop through the cage. On his first 

 appearance, I had removed the mother from the 

 company of the other bats, and gave the interesting 

 pair a large cage to themselves. The young bat 

 grew rapidly, and at the end of the sixth week was 

 able to eat moths and small pieces of raw meat 

 moistened with milk. He was very playful in his 

 quaint fashion, and for some time seemed to regard 

 his own partially developed wings with considerable 

 astonishment. Artemus Ward would certainly 

 have described him as an " amoozin little cuss," 



