2o8 VESPERTILIONID^— PLECOTUS 



but the statement is contrary to the experience of Messrs R. 

 RoUinat and E. L. Trouessart, and needs confirmation.^ 



No bat thrives better in captivity than the Long-eared. 

 It may, without apparent injury to its health, be removed 

 from its natural home in mid-winter when completely lethargic ; 

 in fact when in captivity it entirely ceases to hibernate,^ and, 

 although at first very shy and refusing food if offered in the 

 hand, it will readily capture and devour insects left in its cage, 

 and before long becomes a familiar and trusting companion. 

 When a number are kept together, they exhibit much happiness, 

 and are very playful, their gambols being not the less amusing 

 from their awkwardness. They run over and against each 

 other, pretending to bite, but never harming their companions 

 of the same species ; though Bell knew some to exhibit a sad 

 spirit of persecution to an unfortunate Barbastelle which was 

 placed in the same cage with them. They may readily 

 be taught to eat from the hand ; and one kept by James 

 Sowerby, when at liberty in the parlour, would fly to anyone 

 who held up a fly towards it, and pitching, would take the insect 

 without hesitation. If the insect were held between the lips, 

 the bat would then settle on its patron's cheek, and take the fly 

 with great gentleness from the mouth ; and so far was this 

 familiarity carried, that when one of its friends made a 

 humming noise with the mouth, in imitation of an insect, the 

 bat would search about the lips for the promised dainty. 



Mr Oldham informs me that a Long-eared Bat which he 

 had in captivity, when its first grip was insecure, pouched its 

 wriggling prey in the orthodox manner in the interfemoral 

 membrane, but used neither foot nor carpus to adjust its hold : 

 on the other hand, it was frequently its practice to spring off 

 the table and eat its meals in the air as it flew round the room, 

 the crunching of its jaws being then distinctly audible. In 

 nature it probably finds the interfemoral pouch very useful, 

 and Mr J. R. B. Masefield informed Mr Oldham that, being 

 close to these bats when hovering over the sallows, he has 

 seen the tail bent upwards so as to form a receptacle for the 

 insect as it drops. "As you know," he writes, "the sallow 



> Original not seen : quoted by RoUinat and Trouessart, vide supra, p. 36. 

 2 J. Armitage, Naturalist, Feb. 1905, 39. 



