Red Bat 



.rees one sees many that at a little distance would pass unob- 

 served. . While searching for their insect prey, they may 

 be seen to dart in and out among the branches and to penetrate 

 in various directions the dense mass of foliage overhead. 



According to information furnished to Dr. Merriam, this species 

 passes the day in hollow trees, while the young have been found 

 clinging to the twigs of an old crow's nest. 



Red Bat 



Lasiurus borealis (Miiller) 



Length. 4.40 inches. Expanse of wings, 1 1 inches. 



Description. Base of wing membranes, whole interfemqral membrane 

 and base of the ears densely furred. Fur varying in colour from 

 bright rusty red to grayish tinged with rufous; always lighter on 

 the lower surface, hairs generally somewhat tipped with white, and 

 a whitish patch in front of each shoulder. (Illustration facing p. 

 201.) 



Range. Canada to Texas and Northern Florida. One of the com- 

 monest species. In Florida there is found a darker variety, the 

 Florida red bat (L. borealis osceola, Rhoads), though in winter 

 the Northern red bat migrates southward and both forms occur 

 together. 



This species is nearly as common about Philadelphia as the 

 large brown bat, and seems to range rather farther north, being 

 by far the commonest bat in those parts of Pennsylvania lying 

 between the Carolinian belt and the mountains. 



The red bat comes out earlier in the evenings than the other 

 kinds, sometimes when it is still quite light, so that the bright 

 rufous colour of the fur is easily seen. At such times I have 

 frequently been amused by the way in which they will pursue 

 a stone tossed into the air anywhere in their vicinity. Without 

 a thought of the possibility of its being thrown at them, they 

 wheel suddenly and dart after the falling missile, following it 

 closely almost to the ground. Where dark caves are to be 

 found, these bats congregate there in immense numbers during 

 the daytime, but in most localities they frequent lofts and 

 garrets which offer them suitable shelter. One such resort, which 

 I examined some years since, was in a garret usually kept dark 

 by closed shutters. The bats entered by little cracks between the 

 bricks and woodwork of the gable. When the window was 



