18 CHIROPTERA 



as I have seen it under similar circumstances. As a rule this 

 is a late flier, and hence is seldom noticed on wing. 



Since writing the above, I have received from Mr Chouler, 

 gamekeeper, Dalkeith Park, a Long- eared Bat which entered his 

 house on the evening of 1st October (1891), and was observed 

 to take two flies from the ceiling of a room in which a bright 

 light was burning. It is alive still (12th October), and is 

 allowed out of its box for a couple of hours every evening for a 

 flight by gaslight. When first exposed to the light, it seems 

 rather bewildered, but very soon becomes quite lively, flitting 

 about with the utmost confidence, examining every corner of the 

 room, and ever and anon resting suspended head downwards 

 from the cornice or curtains. It delights in scrambling about 

 the pictures, the window- blinds, and even the chairs; and 

 often settles on the floor, where it moves with considerable 

 rapidity (indeed, it may almost be said to run), keeping the 

 body practically clear of the ground. A more knowing little 

 creature I have seldom seen; and, having discovered that 

 there is sufficient space below the room-door for it to creep 

 through, its endeavours to overcome obstacles placed in the 

 way of its escape are most persistent and amusing. Once it 

 flew up the chimney, but in five minutes returned very much 

 begrimed, of course, with soot. At the light it never flies, 

 as moths invariably do. During flight the tail is not, as a 

 rule, stretched full out behind (as represented in most illus- 

 trations of bats on wing), but, at about half its length, is 

 curved downwards and forwards. From a flat surface the 

 table or the floor, for instance it springs into flight without 

 the slightest difficulty. Flies and small pieces of butcher- 

 meat it takes readily from the hand. The inside of the 

 mouth is quite pallid as compared with that of a Daubenton's 

 Bat I had alive a month ago. 1 



1 Captured at Cromdale, Strathspey, vide Scottish Naturalist, 1891, p. 190. 



