A New System for Preventing Collisions at Sea 



most delicate structure, and traversed by nerves, the fine ramifi- 

 cations of which terminate in little loops, like those found in 

 those parts of the skin in man in which the sense of touch is 

 manifested with the greatest perfection ; and their surface is 

 covered with rows of small thickened points, or papillae, which 

 may very probably have something to do with the perception of 

 exceedingly delicate tactile impressions." 



All of these experimenters are fully agreed that the bat 

 does possess what might very properly be called a sixth sense, 

 and that it is able to pursue and capture small insects in the 

 dark under conditions in which eyes would be of little or no 

 use. It is a very curious fact that, notwithstanding that the 

 organ of the sixth sense is the most conspicuous organ pos- 

 sessed by the bat, none of our scientific men have discovered 

 it. It was evidently too apparent to be observed, and reminds 

 one of Christian in " Pilgrim's Progress " who was digging 

 in the muck for a crown when the crown in question was 

 directly over his head and very conspicuous. In many cases, 

 the organ that gives the bat the sixth sense is spread all 

 over its face. In the vampire bat the organ is on the tip of 

 the nose ; it stands up in the air, and is called the " shield," 

 but in most of the small bats that catch insects on the wing, 

 we find two little leaves, not unlike the wings of the insect 

 that it pursues, standing up just in front of the ears. Others 

 have the sensitive spots located on other parts of the face 

 as will be seen by the following illustrations : 



