112 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol, X1/1. 
On the subject of the capture of small mammals, | need not say very much, 
for individual circumstances will mostly indicate the best means, Traps will, 
of course, generally be the most successful, especially in the case of nocturnal 
terrestrial animals, and there are any number of suitable patterns obtainable. 
Those that do not injure the skin with powerful rows of jagged teeth will 
naturally serve the purpose best, and pitfall traps, made out of a glass, or 
metal jar or a common “chatty” sunk in flush with the ground, are not only 
simple but often very successful, 
In the case of bats, however, the circumstances are somewhat different, and 
as there is a large field for the advancement of our knowledge of them, they 
are worthy of a special line, In spite of the ninety odd Indian species includ- 
ed in Blanford’s ‘ Mammalia’ our knowledge of their geographical ranges is by 
no means complete, and there are evidently still a large number of species with 
which we are not yet acquainted,as instanced in Mr, Wroughton’s recent 
paper in our Journal, Andif thisis so inthe case of the neighbourhood 
of Bombay, how much more likely is it to be of the more out-of-the-way 
districts, 
Their nocturnal aérial habits preclude their capture by trapping, and have at 
the same time prevented the extension of our knowledge of their life history 
in comparison with terrestrial mammals, One has consequently to resort to 
shooting them after they leave their resting places, and come out to procure 
their breakfast as the shades of evening fall, This in itself isa form of 
‘shikar’ that can provide a lot of amusement even if itis not ‘sport, for a 
pat is by no means an easy mark, for even the man whose friends relate that 
he is prantically never known to miss a snipe ; and then, again, when the bat 
is “downed, there is the little job before you of finding him, A bat, that 
with its wings extended in flight, appears a fine big beast, is like a very 
insignificant screw of brown paper or dirty rag when on the ground. 
Bats can also be caught very successfully with a large butterfly net, when 
they are hawking near the ground, If the first sweep of the net misses, the 
bat will generally turn and follow it, attracted by the eddy it makes in the 
air; or they may be caught in their sleeping places. Caves, deserted temples, 
cellars and powder magazines in cold Maratha forts, are favourite haunts, Rare 
specimens might sometimes be secured by the simple expedient of shutting 
the doors and windows whenever a bat comes into the house at night, 
(To be continued.) 
