48 THE NOCTULE OR GREAT BAT. 



kind of shrill cry, betwixt the chirping of birds, 

 and the voice of some of the smaller quadrupeds. 

 They have no peculiarly offensive smell. 



Some of these Bats, which Mr. Carlisle had col- 

 lected for the purpose of ascertaining the truth of 

 Spallanzani's observations relative to what he de- 

 nominated a sixth sense of the animals, were^fe- 

 males, and had young ones clinging to their breasts, 

 in the act of sucking. One of them flew about, 

 with perfect ease, though two little ones were thus 

 attached to her, which, together, must have weigh- 

 ed nearly as much as the parent. All the young 

 were devoid of down, and of a black colour. 



The observations made by this gentleman very 

 satisfactorily prove that the sense of hearing, in 

 some of the Bats, is exceedingly acute and delicate. 

 He considers this to be one of the causes of the 

 dexterity with which, even when blinded, the ani- 

 mals avoid obstacles that otherwise would impede 

 their flight*. 



THE NOCTULE OR GREAT BATf. 



THE first appearance of this Bat is generally about 

 the beginning of May ; and it is generally to be 



* Shaw's General Zoology, i. p. 129. 



f Vespertilio noctula. Linntzus. La Noctule. Buffon. 



For the description of this Bat, see the Synopsis, p. 6, No. 3. 



observed 



