1 88 VESPERTILIONID^— MYOTIS 



to be constant in the Rhino lophidce, and seldom noticeable in 

 the Vesper iilionida, except in this species, where we find the 

 Bat sometimes alights in one way and sometimes in the other." 

 Thus, in habits, Natterer's Bat shares some of the character- 

 istics of each family, and it is noticeable that the small 

 interfemoral membrane and weak thumbs recall those of the 

 Horseshoes, so that structure and habits go together. In 

 other respects, such as the position of the wings when sleeping, 

 Natterer's Bat is not known to differ from its near relations. 



Mr Arthur Whitaker^ has described an interesting ex- 

 periment, which, without resorting to the cruel artifices 

 of Spallanzani and other continental naturalists, enabled him 

 to demonstrate that the flight of a bat of this species was in no 

 way dependent upon the uninterrupted use of its eyes. The 

 animal having been rendered temporarily stone-blind by means 

 of wax, was released in a room in which it had never been 

 before and with which it was consequently quite unfamiliar. 

 Usually when captive bats are allowed to exercise themselves in 

 this room they fly in circles close to the ceiling, but the 

 behaviour of this blinded bat was somewhat different. " When 

 released," writes Mr Whitaker, "it commenced to fly in a rather 

 slow and hesitating manner, but with rapidly - growing con- 

 fidence. It went first straight for the closed door, and, I 

 thought, was about to fly right against it, but it suddenly 

 turned itself when but a few inches off, and hovered slowly once 

 or twice along the top edge and down the side, still without 

 touching, but following, I feel convinced, the slight draught of 

 air admitted. Having apparently satisfied itself that there was 

 no exit large enough for it there, it turned round, and flew the 

 length of the room, straight for the fireplace, still, I believe, 

 following the draught. When it got near the fire it turned, 

 warned, no doubt, by the heat, and then commenced to fly 

 slowly and cautiously about the room at a height of about six 

 inches from the floor, and I noticed it repeatedly pause and 

 hover in front of the wainscot at one point where it had sprung 

 slightly from the wall and admitted a distinct current of air. 

 Although it flew fairly quickly, and kept passing underneath 

 the chairs, of which there were over a dozen in the room, it 



' Naturalist, 1906, 148-149. 



