236 THE BAT. 



by the vampire, and not caring for the loss of ten or twelve ounces 

 of blood, I frequently and designedly put myself in the way of trial. 

 But the vampire seemed to take a personal dislike to me ; and the 

 provoking brute would refuse to give my claret one solitary trial, 

 though he would tap the more favoured Indian's toe, in a hammock 

 within a few yards of mine. 



THE BAT. 



THE following observations on the bat were among Mr Waterton's 

 notes : 



UNUSUAL APPEARANCE OF A BAT IN THE STREETS OF WAKEFIELD, 

 YORKSHIRE. 



The 2d of January 1848 had been very cold, with sleet falling on 

 a thin coating of snow, which had lain on the ground for two days. 

 On the night of the 2d of January the frost entirely went away; and 

 the 3d of the same month was cloudy, and almost as warm as 

 though it were summer. Just at noon, as I was passing down Kirk- 

 gate, a bat was flying in a small street which opens into Kirkgate. 

 I stopped and looked at it for some time. It was very vigorous, and 

 appeared to be in search of food, probably gnats. 



BAT. On the 2ist of April 1849, we nac ^ nne Sunn 7 weather in 

 the afternoon, although the preceding night had been one of intense 

 frost. On this afternoon, about three o'clock, I saw a bat hawking 

 for flies at the boathouse, and dipping his mouth to the water, ap- 

 parently to take flies or gnats. After a while the bat appeared ex- 

 hausted, and it alighted on a plank which was close to me. I took 

 it in my hand, and then turned it loose, and again it hawked for flies. 

 It came to the plank a second time, and I took it up, gave it its 

 liberty, and it again hawked for flies, and continued to do so till I 

 was called away, and then lost sight of it 



