854 ox THE LESSER HORSESHOE BAT. [Nov. 27, 



tluttei'ing liei- wings at the same time with a tremulous motion, 

 entirely diflei'ent from the struggles of a btit which is striving to 

 escape from the hand which holds it. Then, with rapid move- 

 ments of the jaws, accompanied by a nervous trembling of the 

 head, she bit the worm along its entire length, passing it through 

 her mouth, tlius paralysing the captive. The head of the meal- 

 worm was I'ejected, and when this had been severed from the 

 body, the remainder was eaten slowly, though the movement of 

 the bat's jaws was rapid. The horny caudal exti'emity of the-^ 

 mealworm was also rejected ; this and the head usually remained 

 sticking to or neai- the bat's lips, and were w^iped off against the 

 bat's body. jSTeither foot nor thumb was used in order to get rid 

 of these particles. 



We thus see that we have several facts which, though not 

 founded on a sufficient number of observations to form conclusive 

 evidence, suggest points of interest in the study of the species. 



1. The Lesser Horseshoe — and the same is true of many other 

 species — usually occvipies different retreats in summer and winter, 

 and whei'e the same caves are used at both seasons retires fui'ther 

 into the recesses during the colder months. 



2. Dui'ing the eai-lier period of occupation of the wintei- 

 retreats, sleep is not profound — not indeed to be desci-ibed as 

 hibernation in the accepted meaning of the word. 



3. During a portion at any late of this period the bats feed — 

 presumably in the. caves. 



4. The food is, in certain instances, consumed when the animal 

 is at rest and not upon the wing. 



5. Although unable to make use of the interfemoral mem- 

 brane, aftei- the mannei- of other bats, the species so far shai'es or 

 retains the habit that it makes use of the interlirachial membi'ane 

 for the same purpose. 



Whether this last trait is the survival of a habit, or is the first 

 steo towai'ds a more perfected habit in bats with more fully 

 develo])ed membi'anes, is a point on which I am not pi'epai'ed to 

 dogmatise. We must fii'st learn if the short upturned tail is 

 rudimentary, or if the aidmal gains any advantage tlu-ough the 

 degeneration of that appendage. Mr. R. Newstead (6) suggests 

 that when the bat is hanging at I'est, the tail and the infei-ior 

 surface of the membrane form a " deep, narrow trough : aii 

 excellent apparatus to carry off any drops of water that might 

 fall upon it from the i-oof of its habitat." The spots, however, 

 whicli are chosen by the bats are usually in dry parts of the 

 caves. The tail is carried erect when the bat is climbing — the 

 Lessei- Horseshoe cannot walk on a flat surface ; and I feel certain 

 that it was carried in this position in flight by my captives. 

 Mr. Oldham observes (12) that " the legs showed very distinctly 

 against a white ceiling when viewed from below, but this was 

 possibly due to the shortness of the tail, and not to its being 

 erect or recurved " ; but though the legs certainly were distinct, 

 they appeared to me to be sliglitly flexed and not fully extended ; 



