28 Small Quantity of Atr Necessary to Sustain Life in a Bat. 
York Philosophical Society for the use of the Museum and 
Lecture Theatre, and to the York Naturalists’ Society for their 
entertainment and efforts to make the meeting the success 
it was. 
After the address a pleasant evening was spent in the 
Museum, where the York Society had arranged some special 
exhibits, a concert, and also provided refreshments.—T. S. 
ON THE SMALL QUANTITY OF AIR NECESSARY TO 
SUSTAIN LIFE IN A BAT. 
H. B. BOOTH, M.B.O.U. 
Shipley. 
On September 23rd I received a securely fastened brown 
paper parcel from a friend in Shropshire. Inside were two 
Pipistrelle Bats, each closely wrapped several times round: 
with tissue paper, and just filled a 2-oz. tobacco tin. Around 
the tin was a short note saying that one of the bats was dead, 
and, although the other one was just alive when put in, it would 
not reach me so. The time occupied in the post was 18 hours. 
To my great surprise, on taking off the numerous wrappings, I 
found one of the bats was still warm, and showed signs of life.’ 
My first impulse was to immediately put it out of its misery, but 
as it gave some signs of moving, J put it aside in a larger box. 
Several hours after it was crawling slowly about, and squeaked, 
and snapped at my fingers when touched. I now spent fully 
half an hour catching house-flies, and it took about a score from 
the point of a pin, and became quite lively. It lived for a 
fortnight longer, and during most of that time it was on view to 
the public in the Museum Room of the Cartwright Hall, and 
may possibly have succumbed eventually to an excessive house- 
fly diet. Both bats had been in a cigar box parcel about 24 hours 
before being sent on to me. 
Although I much regret if any cruelty has been thoughtlessly 
imposed on the above individual, yet I think the facts of the case 
worth recording, as it appears wonderful to me what a small. 
quantity of air is really necessary in order to keep a bat alive. 
No doubt this will be partly due to the out-of-the-way crannies 
in which many bats spend most of their lives, and where, in 
many cases, there is no circulation of air, and partly because 
they are hibernating animals. The bat which survived was. 
mature, and the one received dead was an immature, although: 
a full-grown, specimen. 
Naturalist, 
