370 HISTORY or 



its prey is generally abroad, and flies in pursuit with its mouth 

 open. At other times it continues in its retreat ; the chink 

 of a ruined building, or the hollow of a tree. Thus this little 

 animal, even in summer, sleeps the greater part of its time, 

 never venturing out by day-light, nor in rainy weather ; never 

 hunting in quest of prey, but for a small part of the night, and 

 then returning to its hole. But its short life is still more 

 abridged by continuing in a torpid state during the winter. At 

 the approach of the cold season, the bat prepares for its state of 

 lifeless inactivity, and seems rather to choose a place where it 

 may continue safe from interruption, than where it may be 

 warmly or conveniently lodged. For this reason it is usually 

 seen hanging by its hooked claws to the roofs of caves, regardless 

 of the eternal damps that surround it. The bat seems the only 

 animal that will venture to remain in these frightful subterra- 

 nean abodes, where it continues in a torpid state, unaifected by 

 every change of the weather. Such of this kind as are not pro- 

 vident enough to procure themselves a deep retreat, where the 

 cold and heat seldom vary, are sometimes exposed to great in- 

 conveniences, for the weather often becomes so mild in the 

 midst of winter, as to warm them prematurely into life, and to 

 allure them from their hole in quest of food, when nature has 

 not provided a supply. These, therefore, have seldom strength 

 to return ; but having exhausted themselves in a vain pursuit 

 ufter insects which are not to be found, are destroyed by the owl, 

 or any other animal that follows such petty prey. 



The bat couples and brings forth in summer, generally from 

 two to five at a time : of this I am certain, that I have found 

 five young ones in a hole together ; but whether they were the 

 issue of one parent, I cannot tell. The female has but two 

 nipples, and those forward on the breast as in the human kind. 

 This was a sufficient motive for Linnaeus to give it the title of 

 a primus, to rank it in the same order with mankind, and to push 

 this contemptible animal among the chiefs of the creation. 

 Such arbitrary associations produce rather ridicule than instruc- 

 tion, and render even method contemptible -, however, we are to 

 forgive too strong an attachment to system in this able naturai- 



when do«Ti on a flat surface, cannot get o\i the wing agaiii, Iiy rising with 

 great ease from tlie floor." 



