82 WILD LIFE IN THE TREE TOPS 



self with ' twit-twitting,' and constantly putting his head into the nesting - 

 hole, presumably delighted with the way things were going on. When dry, 

 the mud one might call it cement is so hard that it is a difficult matter to 

 break it. 



The actual nest of the Nuthatch, when in the depths of a beech tree, is 

 composed of small pieces of dry dead beech leaves, perhaps as many as would 

 fill a large mug. Where the nest is in the neighbourhood of pines, it is made 

 of the fine flakes which occur under the bark of such trees. 



It is not unusual for a pair of nuthatches to choose as their nesting-place 

 a hole large enough to easily admit one's open hand so that a considerable 

 amount of mud has to be placed in position before the entrance is sufficiently 

 ' mudded up.' 



In such a cavity, provided that it is at a sufficient height from the ground, 

 and has a large enough interior, one may, in the early summer months, come 

 upon a colony of Noctule Bats. I have personally never found these bats 

 living in any other tree than a beech, although I have at various times discovered 

 many colonies ; some of them consisting of as many as thirty or forty bats. 



A general aversion to bats is common to many of us and one has met 

 ladies who really quite dread the idea of taking a walk on a summer evening 

 in case a bat should elect to keep up its reputation by taking refuge in their hair ! 



But the bat, although not so shy as most wild creatures, possibly on 

 account of the fact that it does not generally come into contact with mankind, 

 is only too ready to beat a retreat if capture or death is threatened ; and if 

 one should be thus entangled it would be owing to an accident. Not infrequently 

 on a dark windy night, a bat may pass by so closely that one's face or coat 

 may be touched by its wing, and if, instead of the face or coat, the wing should 

 happen to touch a woman's hair or hair net, the tiny claws would in all proba- 

 bility become entangled. 



And then too, the bat, being such a grotesque, gargoyle-like creature, 

 whose movements suggest evil, creeping things, is calculated to inspire a 

 feeling of revulsion in the superstitious breast. But it should always be 

 remembered that, in spite of its unfortunate appearance, it is blessed 

 with the same emotions as the other more-attractive-looking creatures, and 

 protects itself and its young with as much bravery and tenacity as the majority 

 of them. 



One may sometimes discover the retreat of a colony of Noctule Bats by 

 chancing to walk under their tree on a summer evening, just as the bats are 

 on the point of setting out for the evening flight. For at that time they become 

 quite excited, and make a curious little chittering cry very like the sound of 

 two pennies being clinked together, and very much indeed like the incessant 

 cries of young Spotted Woodpeckers Greater or Lesser. 



Presently a small brown head appears at the entrance to the ' den,' and a 



