BATS 41 
share of attention from the zoologists. Neverthe- 
less, after looking through a large amount of 
literature on the subject, the old idea persists that 
we know little about the bat—little, that is to say, 
compared with all there is to be known. How very 
little my own researches can add to its life history 
these meagre observations and comments will serve 
to show. 
Walking by the Test, near Longparish, one 
evening, I noticed a number of noctules, our great 
bat, gathered at a spot where some high trees, elms 
and beeches, grew on the edge of a wet meadow. 
The bats were flying up and down in front of the 
trees, feasting on the moths and other insects that 
abounded there. I wondered how it came about 
that these big bats had this rich table all to them- 
selves, seeing that the small common bat is by far 
the most numerous species in that locality. After 
I had stood there watching them for a few minutes 
a common bat appeared, and at once began flying 
to and fro among them; but very soon he was 
spotted and attacked by a big bat, and then began 
the maddest chase it was possible to see, the little 
one doubling wildly this way and that, now mount- 
ing high in the air, then plunging downward to the 
grass, anon losing himself in the trees, to reappear 
in a few moments with his vicious persecutor 
sticking so close that the two often seemed like one 
bat. Finally, they went away out of sight in the 
distance, and keeping my eyes in the direction they 
had gone, I saw the big one return alone in about 
