316 Wild Life in Wales 



but failed to hold it, and been endeavouring to recover its 

 falling prize. To complete the chain of destruction, I 

 threw the chafer back into the pool ; it was taken by a trout, 

 which five minutes later rose to my Greenwell's glory, and 

 accompanied me home to supper, a nice three-quarter 

 pounder ! 



In other districts, Noctules have occasionally passed pretty 

 close to me, in hot pursuit of one another, and in their 

 downward dash their wings then make quite a considerable 

 " swish." When walking on the ground, the tips of the 

 wings are curled up above the back in the curious manner 

 shown in the accompanying photograph : the body is tilted 

 forward in a series of awkward jerks on the long forearms, 

 a very clumsy mode of progression when the animal is in a 

 hurry. Like other Bats, this species has no difficulty in 

 rising from a perfectly level surface, the start being effected 

 by a slight jump, the wings being instantly extended, and 

 lifting the body clear of the ground at the first beat. The 

 jaws, and teeth, in the Noctule are very strong, suggestive of 

 a carnivorous animal, and it bites savagely when handled, 

 easily drawing blood from the fingers ; it also utters a 

 hoarse " garr, garr" which without much exaggeration 

 might be termed a bark. One, whose wing had been 

 broken, " barked," and uttered shrill squeaks, while held 

 in my hand, and these were answered by its mate flying 

 around. She (it was the male that had been shot) " barked " 

 repeatedly at us, and made constant stoops to within a few 

 feet of our heads, like a Lapwing when its young are 

 endangered, whenever her partner cried out, and it was then 

 that the " barking " sounded most aggressive. The smell 

 of this Bat is peculiar, and unpleasant. 



It is curious that a captive Bat will often prefer flesh to 

 insect food, when a choice is offered it. I have more than 

 once found this to be so with Daubenton's Bat, as well as 

 with the Pipistrelle. Neither of these species, when unhurt, 

 has had any difficulty in rising from the water, when 

 knocked into it by a rap from my fishing-rod. I have fre- 

 quently found a small pale-coloured flea on these Bats, and 

 on one Noctule there was a large tick, greatly distended 



