14 INTRODUCTION. 



nor the comfortable seat which Ariel appears to have 

 found " on the bat's back " {Tempest, Act v. Sc. i). 



The following striking passage must also be familiar to 

 readers of Shakespeare : — 



" Ere the bat hath flown 

 His cloister'd flight ; ere, to black Hecate's summons, 

 The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums, 

 Hath rung night's yawning peal, 

 There shall be done a deed of dreadful note." 



Macbeth, Act iii. Sc. 2. 



In a printed broadside of the time of Queen Anne, 

 in the collection of the Society of Antiquaries of London, 

 is the following curious fable relating to the Bat : — 



"615. The Birds and Beasts. A Fable. 



" Once the Birds and Beasts strove for the prerogative : 

 the neuter Batt, seeing the Beasts prevail, goes to them 

 and shows them her large forehead, long ears, and teeth : 

 afterwards, when the Birds prevail'd, the Batt flies with 

 the Birds, and sings chit, chit, chat, and shows them her 

 wings. 



" Hence Beakless Bird, hence Winged Beast, they cry'd ; 

 Hence plumeless wings ; thus scorn her either side. 



" London. Printed for Edw. Lewis, 



Flower-de-Luce Court, Fleet Street. 1710." 



