102 IN THE ACADIAN LAND. 



nerves, and are sensitive to a degree that we 

 can hardly imagine. Through that means the 

 animal feels the presence of near objects even 

 in dark rooms and caves, and avoids them. 

 Probably there is a sensible difference in the air 

 currents near any object. Many species of bats 

 have peculiar leaf-like structures growing 

 straight up from the end of the nose, and these 

 are thought to be feelers. 



It is well known that bats live upon flying 

 bugs and beetles that are out for an airing at 

 night. It is also a common saying, " Blind as a 

 bat." Now, if a bat is blind, how does he man- 

 age to find his food in the dusky twilight, and 

 even in the dark? The fact is he has very 

 keen sight, and also very sensitive wings, to tell 

 him if he has run against any living thing that 

 may serve as food. I think it is not generally 

 known how they are captured. The mouth is 

 small; there are no hands, no bill, nothing, 

 apparently, to aid in capturing his prey. He 

 makes a net of his wings, he draws his tail well 

 under him when about to take an insect, thus 

 forming a bag, and the insect is run down and 

 run into it, and then seized and eaten. One may 

 readily observe them do this; they halt in a 

 hurried, scuffing way and then go on for more. 

 When one considers that they have no nests to 



