Bats. 173 



are two well-marked species of bats here one small 

 and the other much larger. 



The lesser bat flies nearer to the ground, and 

 almost alwa} r s follows the contour of some object 

 or building. They hawk to and fro for hours in the 

 evening under the eaves of the farmhouse, and fre- 

 quently enter the great garrets and the still larger 

 cheese-room (where the cheese is stored to mature) 

 sometimes through the windows, and sometimes 

 seeming to creep through holes made by sparrows 

 or starlings in the roof. Moths are probably the 

 attraction ; of these there are generally plenty in 

 and about old houses. Occasionally a bat will come 

 into the sitting-room, should the doors be left open 

 on a warm summer evening : this the old folk think 

 an evil omen, and still worse if in its alarm at the 

 attempts made to drive it away it should chance to 

 knock against the candle and overturn or put it out. 

 They think, too, that a bat seen in daytime is a bad 

 sign. Once now and then one gets disturbed by 

 some means in the tiles, and flutters in a helpless 

 manner to the nearest shelter ; for in daylight they 

 seem quite at a loss, though flying so swiftly at 

 night. 



The greater bat hawks at a considerable elevation 

 above houses and trees, and wheels and turns with 

 singular abruptness, so that some think it a test of 

 a good shot to bring them down. The reason how- 

 ever, why many find it difficult to hit a bat is because 

 the} 7 are unaccustomed to shoot at night, and not 

 because of its manner of flight, for it often goes quite 

 straight. It is also believed to be a test of good 

 hearing to be able to hear the low shrill squeak of 



