THE FARMER'S HELPERS 347 



wrinkled bark of old tree-trunks; the wheat-moths 

 rise in clouds from the ravaged grain and take flight 

 for fresh fields ; and other night-flying insects flutter 

 about, alighting on grape-vines and fruit-trees, all 

 busily searching for food and shelter for their ca- 

 lamitous offspring. 



"But suddenly this scene of jollity is intruded 

 upon by a most unwelcome kill-joy. The bat, with 

 zig-zag course, flits hither and thither, up and down, 

 back and forth, untiring of wing, appearing and dis- 

 appearing, darting its head out this way and that, 

 and each time catching an insect in flight, which it 

 immediately crushes and gobbles up, sending it to 

 its doom down a throat that opens wide from ear to 

 ear. It is famous hunting: gnats, beetles, moths, 

 all are there in plenty, and every once in a while 

 a little cry of joy announces the capture of an espe- 

 cially plump victim. As long as the fading twi- 

 light admits of it, the ardent hunter continues in 

 this way his work of extermination. Stuffed to re- 

 pletion at last, the bat regains its dark and quiet 

 retreat ; but on the morrow, and every day thereafter 

 throughout the summer, the hunt will be resumed, 

 always with the same ardor, always at the cost of 

 insects only. My children, respect the bat, our 

 helper in destroying the ravagers of our fields." 



