80 WILD LIFE IX NEW KE. \I..\M>. 



The feet of bats are peculiar. The toes are all about the same 

 length, an<l the first (or great) toe is nearly in a line with the others : 

 all are furnished with sharp claws. They are not fitted to walk 

 on the ground, but to grasp the branches of trees, and Hutton I 

 this species "has adaptations which led to the conclusion that it 

 hunts for its insect prey -not only in the air, but also on tin- 

 branches and leaves of trees, among which its peculiarities of 

 structure must enable it to creep and crawl with ease and secnritv." 

 The length of this little bat is about 2'8 in., and the spread of its 

 wings about 12 in. Knox says of it, "A well-defined line ran 

 from the wrist-joint, sweeping round to the elbow, knee, and setting 

 on of the tail, dividing the wing-shaped pectoral extremity, so that 

 on the internal segment hair was developed, whilst on the external 

 segment the integumentary expansion was perfectly smooth, so that 

 when the forearm and hand was completely drawn in or retracted, 

 the tail being free, the animal resembled in every respect, even 

 in that of colour and short silky hair, a little mouse; and the 

 small, short thumb, with its peculiar nail, would rest on the 

 ground." 



The long-tailed, short-eared bat (ChaUnol&but morio) is found 

 all over New Zealand. Hutton says of it, "Up to 1885 it was 

 common about Christehurrh. but it is thought that the destruction 

 of the old wooden bridge over the Avon, where numbers used to 

 gather together, has driven it away. It measures about 2 in. in 

 total length, being slightly smaller than the other species, ami is 

 about the same size as the ' flitter-mouse,' the commonest species 

 in England." Knox gives rather larger dimensions for this bat. 

 One he measured was 3|in. long mid had a spread of wing of 

 10'8in. Buller. writing of these animals in IS'.):.', says that both 

 species, according to the Maoris, live in eonininnit ios. inhabiting 

 the cavernous interior of some dead and hollow tree, congregating 

 then- in hundreds and thousands, and clinging to the sides in 

 cessive tiers, packed so closely as to occupy the entire surface. 



Mr. Caldwell. a District Surveyor. g;>ve Buller the following 

 information about this bat: "I left Carterton, together with two 

 companions," he said, " for a walk into the hills at the right-hand 

 side of th- Waiolnne. LToing by way of the Helvedere Koad. A\ .- 

 got fairly up the hills by about 10 a.m.. and climbed a high range 

 covered with black-birch. Getting warm we sat down on the moss 



