46 THE LONG-EARED BAT. 



still erect, and to a casual observer might, during 

 this time, be mistaken for the proper ears of the 

 animals. 



The ears of the Common Bat are formed so as to 

 answer a similar purpose. The external valves are, 

 indeed, too short to be folded over the opening, 

 and held in that position by the fore-legs. These 

 are, therefore, somewhat differently constructed. 

 They continue erect, .but the sides are so closely 

 compressed together towards the bottom, that the 

 scattered hairs, in their interior, either entirely pre- 

 vent the intrusion of any thing injurious, or at 

 least give sufficient notice to the animal for it to 

 awake and avoid the injury. 



There appeared to me something very singular 

 with respect to the eyes of the Long-eared Bats. I 

 happened to take into my hand one of these ani- 

 mals, whilst it seemed to be still half asleep. Its 

 eyes were open, but I remarked that they wanted 

 much of the lustre which. they had when the animal 

 was perfectly awake. With the feather part of my 

 pen, the point of which was tolerably hard, I 

 touched the hairs around the eye, to observe whe- 

 ther the irritation would cause the lids to close. 

 They moved a little, but did not seem much affected 

 by it. I proceeded, by degrees, till at length I 

 ventured to touch the eye itself. Still they did 

 not close; and so little was the repose of the ani- 

 mal disturbed, tnat I am persuaded nothing short of 



absolutely 



