BATS 



bobbed its head down and tried to pouch it, 

 then chewed it up, rejecting the wings and legs. 

 At this first meal it took no less than fifteen 

 flies, in nearly all cases dropping the wings 

 and legs. ' Jimmie,' as I called him, had 

 quite as good, if not a better appetite than. the 

 pipistreUe, eating for his second meal over 

 fifty flies ! He grabbed them all greedily, 

 spreading out his wings and trying to pouch 

 them in his tail pouch, often over-balancing 

 in his effort to do that which he was in the 

 habit of doing. He would grab the fly and 

 drop it into his pouch, and therein get a fresh 

 and better hold of it, after which it was eaten 

 in the ordinary manner. He would run 

 towards me for flies when they were held an 

 inch or two away from him, but I could not be 

 sure whether he saw or smelt them. He got 

 quite indifferent to being touched, and would 

 go on happily munching while I stroked him. 

 After keeping Jimmie for several days I took 

 him to a loft and let him go, as I hoped he would 

 there find a safe hiding-place. I was afraid to 

 keep him any longer, for flies were growing 

 scarce, and, with the pipistrelle's fate as a 

 warning, I knew I could not give him all he 

 would want. All the people who have tried 



B 17 



