Atalapha, a Winged Brownie 
went the youngsters twittering with glee, neck and 
neck, and Mother hovering near. Within half 
a pond length they were up to him, and pounced 
and snapped, Little Brother and Big Brother. 
But an unexpected difficulty arose. The June-bug 
was so big and round, and clad in such hard-shell ge-t" 
armor, that each time the young Bats pounced ¥ ; 
and snapped, their little jaws could get no hold % 
but sent the bug rebounding, safely speeding. 
Snap, snap, snap, went the little Bats, but it 
was like terriers snapping at an Armadillo, or kittens 
at a Turtle. For the June-bug kept his legs tight 
tucked and all the rest was round and hard. 
Snap” went Brother at his head and ‘‘snap” 
went Little Brother at his tail. They nearly 
bumped into each other, but the booming bug 
escaped, and Little Brother chittered angrily at 
every one. 
Then the Mother Bat came skimming by and 
said in Bat language: “Now, children, watch me 
and see how to manage those big hard things you 
cannot bite.” She swooped after the roaring bug, 
but making no attempt to use her teeth she sailed 
over, then in a twinkling curled her tail with its 
broad flap into a bag, and scooped the June-bug 
in. Her legs helped to close the net; a quick 
teach back of the supple neck and the boomer 
51 
Neer me RAS NNN SLU he ASHE EE ER 
