24 LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



not resorting to the neighbourhood of trees and plantations, 

 this Bat, writes Macgillivray, in the original issue of the 

 "Naturalists' Library," flies, like the Pipistrelle, "but it pos- 

 sesses considerable agility, and turns with ease in every direc- 

 tion. It rises with facility from the ground, or even from the 

 bottom of the box in which it may be kept. When it alights, 

 it clings by the hooks of its fore-limbs and by its hind-claws. 

 In climbing it moves the fore-feet alternately, advancing 

 slowly, and in an awkward manner, which is still more apparent 

 when it crawls on a level surface. It adheres to the slightest 

 asperities, and retires to the corners of the deserted apart- 

 ments of old buildings, steeples, and the crevices of rocks, 

 where it suspends itself by the hind-feet, which are, as in other 

 Bats, eminently adapted for the purpose, the claws being very 

 acute, and of nearly equal length. When springing off from a 

 wall, it raises its fore-legs first, stretches out its head, and 

 erects its ears, which had been folded down, and it retains 

 them erect when flying. When preparing for repose, it brings 

 the fore-feet close to the body, the cubital- [elbowj joint pro- 

 jecting and in contact with the knee, incurvates the tail, folds 

 up the lateral membranes neatly, and brings the ears back- 

 wards, curving them along the sides of the head and body, 

 so as to resemble a ram's horn ; the tragus, or small anterior 

 appendage, projecting forward. Its voice is a low chirping 

 squeak \ and when teased or frightened, it utters a querulous 

 note, like the wailing of a very young child." 



To this it may be added, that when the great ears are laid 

 back in the manner described, the upstanding earlets look 

 exactly as though they were the real ears. On the Continent 

 this species is described as frequenting hollow trees for repose 

 fully as much as buildings ; and everywhere its long winter 

 sleep generally seems to be continuous and unbroken, so that 

 it is only seen abroad from the late spring to the early autumn. 



