rHKlROITERA. 



CHKIROPTKRA. 



Ml 



compliment him on his humanity extracted the eye* of bats and 

 covered the empty sockets with leather ; yet, in thu coudition, they 

 flew round hi* room, avoiding the sides, never striking against any- 

 thing, and flying out of the door without touching the doorcase. In 

 flying through a sewer which made a right angle, they turned at the 

 proper point, though at a distance of two feet from the walls. They 

 found their resting-place on a cornice, and flew through threads, sus- 

 pended perpendicularly from the ceiling, without touching them, 

 though scarcely farther apart than would admit their extended wings ; 

 and they avoided all obstacles with equal facility when .the whole 

 head was covered with varnish. But, according to the experiments 

 of Carlisle, the British Long-Eared Bat was entirely at a loss, if, when 

 Mimled, ita ears were stopped, for in that condition the blinded bats 

 struck against the sides of the room, and seemed to be quite unaware 

 of their situation. The following additional note to the Kni^i-h 

 translation of Blumenbach however corroborates Spallanzani : "Bats 

 have been supposed to possess a peculiar power of perceiving external 

 objects, without coming actually into contact with them. In th.-ir 

 rapid and irregular flight, amidst various surrounding bodies, they 

 never fly against them; yet it does not seem that the senses of 

 hearing, seeing, or smelling, serve them on these occasions, for 

 they avoid any obstacles with equal certainty when the ear, eye, 

 and nose, are closed. Hence naturalists have ascribed a sixth sense 

 to these animals ; it is probably analogous to that of touch. The 

 nerves of the wing are large and numerous, and distributed in a 

 minute plexus between the integuments. The impulse of the air 

 against this part may probably be so modified by the objects near 

 which the animal passes, as to indicate their situation and nature." 

 Ouvier, in his ' Leconn d' Anatomic Comparce,' had, in a great measure, 

 solved the mystery by observing, as is remarked in the note just 

 quoted, that the whole surface of the flying membrane, on both sides, 

 is endowed with extraordinary sensibility, and may be considered as 

 one continuously expanded organ of touch. Nor is this the only 

 peculiarity connected with the integument of the bats, for in the 

 genus Xycteru there exists a power of inflation to such a degree, that 

 when the faculty is exerted the animal looks, according to Geoffrey, 

 like a little balloon fitted with wings, a head, and feet. The sub- 

 cutaneous tissue is the part inflated, and as the skin adheres to the 

 body at particular points only, the connection being by means of 

 loose cellular membrane, spaces are left which can be filled with air 

 at the will of the Nycterit, through the cheek pouches, which are 

 perforated at the bottom so as to communicate with those spaces. 

 When the Nycterit wishes to inflate its skin, it draws in its breath, 

 closes its nostrils, and transmits the air through the perforations of 

 the cheek pouches to the subcutaneous spaces, and the air is prevented 

 from returning by the action of a sphincter, which closes those 

 opening*, and by valves of considerable size on the neck and back. 



The organs of reproduction nearly approach those of the Quad- 

 rumana and man in many respects. In the female two teats are 

 placed on the breast as in man and in the Qtuidrumana. 



The Cheiroptera are widely spread over the globe. They are to be 

 found in the Old and New World and in Australia. A tolerably 

 temperate climate seems necessary for them, and the greatest develop- 

 ment of the form takes place in warm countries. Sir John Richardson 

 (' Fauna Boreali- Americana ') notices two species, Vexpertilio pruinotut 

 (Say) caught at Cumberlard House, on the Saskatchewan in 54 N. lat, 

 and Petprrtilio ntbulalui (Say), which he observes is the most common 

 species near the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains on the upper 

 branches of the Saskatchewan and Peace River. 



Habits. Generally speaking they remain in concealment during 

 the day in caverns, ruinous buildings, Hollow trees, and such 



places, and flit forth at twilight or sunset to take their prey. White, 

 in his ' Selbornc," thus describes the mode of feeding a tame bat : 

 " It would take flies out of a person's hand ; if you gave it anything 

 to eat it brought its wings round before the mouth, hovering and 

 hiding its head, in the manner of birds of prey when they feed. The 

 adroitness it showed in shearing off the wings of flies, which were 

 always rejected, was worthy of observation, and pleased me much. 

 Insects seemed to be most acceptable, though it did not refuse raw 

 flesh when offered ; so that the notion that bats go down chimneys 

 and gnaw men's bacon, seems no improbable story. While I amused 

 myself with this wonderful quadruped I saw it several times confute 

 the vulgar opinion, that bats, when down on a flat surface, cannot get 

 on the wing again, by rising with groat ease from the floor. It ran, I 

 observed, with more dispatch than I was aware of, Init in a moat 

 ridiculous and grotesque manner." The Large-Eared Bats, collected 

 by Carlisle, refused, according to Shaw, every species of food for four 

 days, as did a Urge number which were afterwards caught and 

 preserved in a dark box, for above a week. During the day-time they 

 were extremely desirous of retirement and darkness ; and, while con- 

 fined to the box, never moved or endeavoured to get out the whole 

 day ; and when spread on the carpet they commonly rested some 

 minutes, and then, beginning to look about, crawled slowly to a dark 

 corner or crevice. At sunset the scene was quite changed : every one 

 then endeavoured to scratch its way out of the box ; a continual 

 chirping was kept up, and no sooner was the lid of their prison opened 

 than each was active to escape ; either flying away immediately, or 

 running nimbly to a convenient place for taking wing. When these 



bats were first collected, several of the females had young ones 

 clinging to their breasts in the act of sucking. One of them flew 

 with perfect ease, though two little ones were thus attached to her, 

 which weighed nearly as much as the parent All the young were 

 devoid of down, and of a black colour. One of the most interesting 

 and detailed accounts of the habits of these animals is that in 

 Mr. Daniell to the Zoological Society of London. The bats consisted 

 of two species, the Pipijtrell : C.-utln.yl 



and the Noctule ( Vttptrtilio nocft*/..' r). Mr. Daniell stated 



that in July, 1833, he received five specimens, all pregnant females, 

 from Elvetham in Hampshire. Many more were congregated together 

 with them in the ruins of the barn in which they were taken, but all 

 the rest escaped. They had been kept in a tin powder canister for 

 several days, and on being turned loose into a common packing-case, 

 with a few strips of deal nailed over it to form a cage they exhibited 

 much activity, progressing rapidly along the bottom of the box, 

 ascending by the bars to the top, and then throwing themselves off 

 as if endeavouring to fly. They ate flies when offered to tlu-m, 

 seizing them with the greatest eagerness, and devouring them greedily, 

 all of them congregating together at the end of the box at whi.-h tin y 

 were fed, and crawling over, snapping at, and biting each other, at the 

 same time uttering a grating kind of squeak. Cooked meat was next 

 presented to them, and rejected ; but rnw beef was eaten by them 

 with avidity, and with an evident preference for such pieces as had 

 been moistened with water. This answered a double purpose ; the 

 weather being warm numbers of the Blue-Bottle Flies (M tuca romiloria 

 of Linnaeus) were attracted to the meat ; and on approaching within 

 range of the bats' wings were struck down by their action, the animal 

 itself falling at the same moment with all its membranes expanded, 

 and cowering over the prostrate fly, with its head thrust umlrr in 

 order to secure its prey. When the head was again drawn forth The 

 membranes were immediately closed, and the fly was observed to be 

 almost invariably taken by the head. Mastication appeared to be a 

 laboured operation, consisting of a succession of eager bites and snaps, 

 and the sucking process (if it may be so termed), by which the insect 

 was drawn into the mouth, being much assisted by the looseness of 

 the lips. Several minutes were employed in devouring a large fly. 

 In the first instance the flies were eaten entire, but Mr. Daniell after- 

 wards observed detached wings in the bottom of the box. These 

 however he never saw rejected, and he is inclined to think that they 

 are generally swallowed. A slice of beef attached to the side of the 

 box was found not only to save trouble in feeding, but also by 

 attracting the flies to afford good sport in observing the animals 

 obtain their food. Their olfactory nerves appear to be very acutely 

 sensible. When hanging by their posterior extremities, and attached 

 to one of the bars in front of the cage, a small piece of beef placed 

 at a little distance from their noses would remain unnoticed ; but 

 when a fly was placed in the same situation they would inxtmitU 

 snapping after it. The beef they would eat when hungry, but they 

 never refused a fly. In the day-time they sometimes clu 

 together in a corner ; but towards evening they became vi-ry lively, 

 and gave rapid utterance to their harsh grating notes. One of thrm 

 died on the fifth day after they came into Mr. Daniell's possession ; 

 two on the fourteenth ; the fourth survived until the eighteenth ; and 

 the fifth until the nineteenth day. Each was found to contain a single 

 foetus. 



On the 16th of May, 1884, Mr. Daniell procured from Hertfordshire 

 five specimens of Vttpcrtilio noctuta four females and one malr. I'll.- 

 latter was exceedingly restless and savage, biting the females, and 

 breaking his teeth against the wires of the cage, in his attempts to 

 escape from his place of confinement. He rejected food, and died on 

 the 18th. Up to this time the remaining four continued sulky ; but 

 towards evening they ate a few small pieces of raw beef in preference 

 to flies, beetles, or gentles, all of which were offered to tlirm ; only 

 one of them, however, fed kindly. On the 20th one dii-d, ami on tin- 

 J^ml two others. The survivor won tried with a variety of food, and, 

 evincing a decided preference for the hearts, livers, 4c. of fowls, was 

 fed constantly upon them for a mouth. In the course of tlii- 

 large flies were frequently offered to her, but they were iil 

 rejected, although one or two May Chafers (Melolontha r/-/<i; -i.-i 

 partially eaten. In taking the food the wings were not thrown for- 

 ward as in the Pipistrclle, and the food was seized with an 

 similar to that of a dog. The water that drained from the food was 

 lapped, but the head was not raised in drinking, as Mr. Daniell had 

 observed it to be in the Pipistrelle. The animal took considerable 

 pains in cleaning herself, using the posterior extremities as a comb, 

 parting the hair on either side from head to tail, and forming a 

 straight line along the middle of the back. The membrane of tin- 

 wings was cleaned by forcing the nose through the folds ami thereby 

 expanding them. On the 20th of June this specimen produced a 

 young one. At the time of its birth the young was larger than a 

 new-born mouse, and its hind legs and claws were remarkably strong 

 and serviceable, enabling it not only to cling to its dam, l.ut also to 

 the deal sides of the cage. On the 24th the animal took In T ('! in 

 the morning, and appeared very careful of her young, shifting it 

 occasionally from side to side to suckle it, and folding it in tin 

 branes of the tail and wings. On these occasions her usual position 

 was reversed. In the evening she was found dead, but the young 



