i4i^ ^Vfii/dkcr : The Development of tJic Senses in Bals. 



upon it. Here ai^ain we ha\e an interesting^ parallel between 

 the taste of birds and bats, for, so far as 1 know, ^s^fossulnriafa 

 is one of the very few moths which insectixorous birds refuse to 

 touch. 



I have never made any experiments to try to determine the 

 extent to which the sense of smell is developed in bats. 



The sense of touch, or perhaps I should say some nervous 

 sense akin to it, is most incomprehensible, and probabK' witliout 

 parallel in the animal kino^dom. 



Having read of experiments conducted by several eminent 

 scientists, who have blinded bats by the coniplete removal of 

 their eyes, and found that they were still able to direct their course 

 when flyingf, even in a strangle place, so as never to come in 

 contact with any obstacle, and seemed, in fact, to be able to 

 recognise the nature and locality of their surrounding's quite 

 independently of sight, I thought it would be most interesting 

 to repeat the experiment, and give my own results. 



Accordingly 1 took a Reddish Gray, or Natterer's Bat 

 {I'esperiilio natiereri, see Plate XIV., fig. i), and covered its 

 closed e}es carefully with wax, and after some little difficulty satis- 

 fied myself that I had rendered it for the time being, to all intents 

 and purposes, ' stone ' blind. I then liberated it in a room in 

 which it had not been before, and was not only quite unfamiliar 

 with its size and shape, but also with the position of the gas 

 chandeliers, of which there were two, chairs, tables, and other 

 furniture. I often allow bats to exercise themselves in this 

 room, and their usual behaviour is to circle round close to the 

 ceiling. 



The behaviour of this temporarily blinded bat was somewhat 

 diflFerent. When released it commenced to fly in a rather slow 

 and hesitating manner, but with rapidly-growing confidence. 

 It went first straight for the closed door, and, I thought, was 

 about to fly right against it, but it suddenly turned itself when 

 but a few inches off, and hovered slowly once or twice along the 

 top edge and down the side, still without touching, but following, 

 1 feel convinced, the slight draught of air admitted. Having 

 apparently satisfied itself that there was no exit large enough 

 for it there, it turned round, and flew the length of the room, 

 straight for the fireplace, still, 1 believe, following the draught. 

 When it got near the fire it turned, warned, no doubt, by the 

 heat, and then commenced to fly slowly and cautiously about 

 the room at a height of about six inches from the floor, and 

 I noticed it repeatedly pause and hover in front of the wainscote 



Naturalist, 



