VESPERTIUONIDJ 



-MAMMALIA. VESPERTILIONID.E. 



55 



the arms, while the lesser ears, erroneously so called, 

 still maintain their ordinary posture. When tamed 

 a condition which it can be readily taught to appreciate 

 the long-eared bat exhibits a most amiable disposi- 



tion ; and in these days of vivaria it would not surprise 

 us to hear of some person who had started, what might 

 be termed a cheiropterarium. It would not, however, 

 be placed under the management of such superstitious 



Fig. 12. 



The Long-eared Bat (Plecotus anntus). 



individuals as we have formerly described. Yet, seri- 

 ously, if any doubt the feasibility of such a scheme, or 

 the interest which such a step might create, let them 

 first peruse the experiences Mr. Bell has recorded of 

 our long-eared friends subjected to a state of captivity. 

 He says " I have frequently watched them when in 

 confinement, and have observed them to be bold and 

 familiar even from the first. They are very cleanly ; 

 not only cleaning themselves after feeding and at other 

 times with great assiduity, but occasionally assisting 

 each other in this office. They are very playful too, 

 and their gambols are not the less amusing from their 

 awkwardness. They run over and against each other, 

 pretending to bite, but never harming their companions 

 of the same species ; though I have seen them exhibit 

 a sad spirit of persecution to an unfortunate barbastelle 

 which was placed in the same cage with them. They 

 may be readily brought to eat from the hand ; and my 

 friend, Mr. James Sowerby, had one during last summer 

 (1836) which, when at liberty in the parlour, would fly to 

 the hand of any of the young people who held up a fly to 

 it, and pitching on the hand, take the fly without hesi- 

 tation. If the insect were held between the lips, the 

 bat would then settle on its young patron's cheek, and 

 take the fly with great gentleness from the mouth ; and 

 so far was this familiarity carried, that when either of 

 my young friends made a humming noise with the 

 mouth in imitation of an insect, the bat would search 

 about the lips for the promised dainty." What think 

 you of this? Let the hypercritical sceptic give his 

 attention ! Some people, we know, are shocked at the 

 idea of making friends with what they are pleased to 

 term a horrid bat a creature, which, in their estima- 

 tion, is almost a representation of Satan himself a 

 creature, say they, whose actions will not bear the 

 light of day an eventide wanderer, whose boon com- 

 panions are "spirits of evil and goblins damned" 

 Uarpies, they say, such as " fell upon the hastily-spread 



tables of Virgil's hero and his friends, and polluted, 

 whilst they devoured, the feast from which they 

 had driven the affrighted guests" beast and bird 

 united monsters, whose prerogative it is to reveal 

 whispered utterances of secret thoughts profound! 

 Hence! hence! ye broad -winged devils, hence! 

 Reminiscences of dark and bloody deeds long past 

 already overspread our frame freezing chills now 

 enervate and paralyze our souls! Begone, begone, 

 revolting creatures ! misshapen forms ! who can doubt 

 your horrid mission ? who abide your thrice-accursed 

 presence? 



Whether real or fancied, such have been the 

 imaginings of the ignorant and superstitious of ancient 

 times, whilst to poet and painter alike our innocent and 

 harmless Vespertilios have furnished ample material 

 for mysterious and overwrought pictures. Virgil, in 

 his third ^rieid, represents ^Eneas and his companions 

 as making a descent upon the coast of one of the Ionian 

 islands. Proceeding inland, they next secured from 

 the plains a quantity of cattle, and forthwith prepare 

 themselves a feast, when, lo! the bats appear, and 

 thus we may freely render into English the imaginary 

 scene which he there depicts " Suddenly, from the 

 mountains, the harpies descend with terrific violence, 

 shaking their icings, and uttering piercing cries ! Our 

 rich dainties are torn asunder and polluted by their 

 foul grasp ! We retreat under the shelter of an over- 

 hanging rock, and, relighting our fires, resolve once 

 more to prepare the desired feast ! Alas! here come 

 the noisy crowd again, to pollute our precious booty 

 with their hooked talons and horrid mouths! To 

 arms ! Let us wage war upon the dreadful race ! 

 Are your swords drawn? From yon lofty spot 

 Misenus gives the signal! The trumpet sounds! 

 Away we rush to the attack, l to violate with the 

 sword these filthy birds of the sea!' 1 All in vain! 

 Unharmed, with swift impetuous flight they disappear 



