RELATIVE VIABILITY IN MAMMALS AND BIRDS, 



445 



considerable number of specimens, the average duration is miich 

 below the maximum dui-ation. There is no difficulty about feeding 

 these animals, bat they have always been treated as creatures 

 requiring protection from cold and indifferent to fresh air. 



Capt. Stanley Flower records a Collared Fruit-bat of over 

 11 years' duration and still alive. 



YeSPERTILIONID^. liidiv 



Vespertilio noctula (Great Bat) ... 10 



V. oiattereri (ISTatterer's Bat) 12 



Plecotus auritus (Long-eared Bat) . 11 



Bats are popularly supposed to be long-lived animals, but these 

 records show only the complete failxu-e to keep them in captivity. 

 The chief difficulty has been to induce them to feed. 



