316 MR. T. A. COWARD ON THE [Apr. 9, 



in nervous motion. I took the single bat, but did not touch nor 

 otherwise disturb the colonies. 



On January 5th, with Mr. Oldham and my usual assistants I 

 entered the Long Hole about 5.20 p.m. ; bats were then dropping 

 out of the fissure near the entrance singly, but there was no cluster 

 as there had been on December 31st. About half a dozen came out 

 and flew inwards. A few were on the wing in the- tunnel and the 

 two colonies in the upper chamber were reduced to one company 

 of ten individuals. We again left this colony undisturbed. 



In the afternoon, on January 6th, we again visited the upper 

 chamber and found that the number of the bats w-as further 

 reduced ; only four remained. No bats were flying in the cave 

 between 3 and 4 p.m. 



We then returned to the fissure, where I had seen the cluster 

 and whence on the previous days we had both seen bats emerge. At 

 4.20 p.m. a single Greater Horseshoe dropped out of the hole and 

 flew into the cave, and at 4.40 another dropped from the fissure 

 and flew out into the open air. Mr. Oldham then posted himself 

 at the entrance to the cave, in such a position that he could 

 command a view of any bats passing out, while I remained below 

 the fissure. Between 4.40 and 5.20 p.m. at least nine bats came 

 from the fissure or elsewhere and flew out of the cave. A few 

 bats passed us in the tunnel ; we could hear the whirr of their 

 wings distinctly, and before it became too dark to distinguish 

 objects at a distance of a few feet — at about 5.30 — bats passed 

 and repassed the entrance to the cave, perhaps some of those which 

 had emerged intending to re-enter. So long as there was light it 

 was easy to see the broad wings of the Greater Horseshoes, as they 

 passed out or fluttered past the entrance, silhouetted against 

 the sky. 



My visits to the other caves were not so frequently repeated. 

 On December 29th I did not observe any Greater Horseshoes in 

 Great Oons Cave, but I noted the position of two Lesser Horseshoes 

 and a Whiskered Bat without touching them ; the Whiskered Bat 

 was clinging to the roof within full reach of daylight. One of the 

 Lesser Horseshoes was sleeping lightly ; it partially unfolded its 

 wings, raised its head, and moved its ears, and then relapsed into 

 slumber, refolding its wings. ISTot one of these three bats, on 

 January 5th, was occupying the position I had seen them in on 

 December 29th, but one Lesser Horseshoe and a Whiskered Bat 

 were in places which were not occupied on the previous visit. 

 We found three Greater Horseshoes, tw^o of which were not at the 

 spots they occupied on January 5th, when I visited the cave on 

 December 29th. 



One large cavern was visited on several occasions; on De- 

 cember 31st I could see a number of Greater Horseshoes hanging 

 singly in difierent parts of the cave, but I only took or touched 

 one ; on the subsequent visits I did not see a single bat. 



About 7 P.M. on December 31st there were at least thirty or 

 forty Greater Horseshoes, hanging in two companies some 



