BATS 



it seemed so annoyed I left it alone, and having 

 explored the cage it at last tucked itself away 

 behind a dry sod of earth that was propped 

 up against one side. This was October 11th, 

 a time when all bats are preparing for their 

 winter sleep, for bats, being insect-feeders, have 

 to hibernate during the cold months when flies 

 are not to be had. Some of them sleep through 

 the winter, remaining cold and unconscious in 

 their hiding-places from October to April until 

 the spring weather calls them to life again ; but 

 the slumber of the pipistrelle is not so sound, 

 and I have seen them on the wing on mild 

 days even in mid-winter. For instance, in 1917 

 I saw pipistrelles out hunting on November 

 15th, 16th, January 18th, 22nd, and 25th. 

 Like all animals which sleep for considerable 

 periods, bats get very fat in the autumn, this 

 store of fat serving them in the place of food 

 during the long months that they are hidden 

 away. By spring it is all used up, and they 

 have become quite thin. 



My little pipistrelle remained cold and un- 

 conscious for three days, when the weather 

 getting warmer it woke up. I made a collec- 

 tion of flies and spiders and tried to feed it. 

 It snapped at a big bluebottle and munched 



11 



