BATS. 57 



left the mother, and remained by themselves in the 

 corners of the cage, in which all were put. The old 

 ones would not feed, and, on the night of the 16th, 

 contrived to escape from their confinement, leaving 

 their young behind them. Three of these young 

 died within three or four days ; but the fourth lived 

 till the 25th, nine days after it had been deserted by its 

 parent. During this period it appeared to be sup- 

 ported by a small piece of sponge saturated with 

 milk, which was put into the cage with it ; the milk 

 being renewed once or twice a day. It clung to the 

 sponge with great tenacity, and seemed occasionally 

 to suck it : now and then a drop or two of milk was 

 squeezed into its mouth. 



These young must have been born some little time 

 before they reached me, from the size which they 

 had attained ; though they were all still entirely 

 naked, and without a vestige of hair. The largest 

 of them measured 1 inch 11 lines from the ex- 

 tremity of the nose to the root of the tail, which 

 was 11 lines more, giving the entire length as 3 

 inches all but 2 lines. The expansion of the wings 

 rather exceeded 6 inches. The fore-arm measured 

 an inch in length. The hind-feet and claws were 

 much developed, and remarkably strong, even at this 

 early age. The eyes were scarcely or only just 

 opened: the teeth quite apparent, though as yet 

 small, and not protruded far. Of these young bats, 

 two were males and two females. 



The noctule, or great bat, withdraws earlier in the 

 season than the common species. White says he 

 never saw it after July. In 1829, on the last day of 



D 5 



