BRITISH MAMMALS 

 old oaks in the Rev. E. Hickling's grounds ; so many as two hundred 

 might be seen on any fine evening in the summer flying above a small 

 meadov^7 only about three acres in size." 



The winter sleep of the Noctule usually lasts from late October until 

 March and early April, though on occasions it has been seen abroad in 

 the months of November, December and February. 



The flight of this Bat is swift and powerful, and on fine summer 

 evenings is usually maintained at a high altitude. At other times, probably 

 depending on the state of the weather, the flight is much lower and often 

 quite near the ground or over some sheet of water. 



Like the Serotine, this species, when pursuing its prey, frequently 

 makes that sudden and characteristic plunge already referred to. 



Mr. Millais has noted that Noctules often change their hunting- 

 ground, and that a colony may be seen one evening feeding in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of their home-tree, and on another hawking 

 over a meadow more than a mile and a half away. 



A great deal has been learned of late years of the habits of this 

 species from the observations of Messrs. Coward, Millais, Oldham, Steele, 

 Elliott, and others, which shows that the evening flight only lasts about 

 an hour, when the Bats retire to their dens, emerging again later to 

 continue their hunt till shortly before dawn. 



When at rest or in the act of pouching an insect the tail of the 

 Noctule is bent forwards under the body, when in flight it is usually 

 held straight out or curved a little downwards. 



The food consists mainly of large flying beetles, which the Bats eat 

 while on the wing, nipping ofi^ the strong wing-cases with their powerftil 

 teeth. 



Mr. Oldham, describing the habits of this species {Zoologist^ i90i> 



pp. 51-59), says: "As the light fades, the Bats descend to a lower 



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