32S ON THE 



pearance, that so strikingly attracts our attention - 

 For, unlike the bird, it can neither suspend its 

 motion to afford time for rest, nor can it continue 

 long in the flying attitude, but is compelled to 

 move very rapidly, and to resort frequently to 

 the ground, or to some eminence, to renovate its 

 powers, very easily exhausted by these exertions. 



It consequently can rarely reach any consider- 

 able elevation in the atmosphere, anfd therefore 

 confines its flight to the space between the lower 

 portions of the roofs of houses, barns, and the 

 -vicinity of old ruins, in pursuit of small summer- 

 inserts, and moths, (its usual food,) carefully 

 avoiding its greatest enemy, the owl ; and, as 

 \ve have just observed, frequently resting upon 

 little eminences to recover the powers of flight. 



But it is only during a few months of summer, 

 that the bat is capable of exertion. it soon 

 loses its energy as the season becomes cooler, 

 and upon the approach of winter, it retires to 

 caves, old ruins, or the hollow parts of trees, 

 where, in a completely torbid state, it is often 

 seen suspended by its hinder legs, or by the 

 hooked nails of its thumbs, huddled together in 

 elusteis of considerable numbers. In this con- 

 dition, as Mr. Bingley observes, " most of the 

 animal functions are so far suspended, as to be 

 scarcely perceptible. 'I he action of the heart and 

 arteries becomes so exceedingly languid, that 

 the pulse can hardly be felt. If respiration be 



