THE BARBASTELLE 219 



remained sullen and apart ; until at length I found that he was 

 an object of persecution on the part of his more active 

 companions, one of whom I detected in the act of giving him 

 a severe bite on the back of the neck. This occasioned his 

 immediate removal to another box; but this sharp discipline 

 probably hastened his death, which took place about a week 

 afterwards, though he continued to eat till the day before he 

 died." 



Nothing further of any importance was written on the 

 Barbastelle until R. F. Tomes met with it in Warwickshire, 

 and remarked^ : that "if in a twilight stroll about midsummer 

 a person finds himself in a close proximity with a Bat of 

 somewhat thick and clumsy form, but of rather small size, 

 whose flight is so desultory that it appears to be flapping 

 lazily about, hither and thither, seemingly without purpose, 

 and intruding so closely that the flutter of its wings may be 

 heard, and even the cool air thrown by their movement felt 

 upon the cheek, it may with almost certainty be recognised as 

 the Barbastelle. Although there is no English Bat which 

 resembles the Barbastelle in its mode of flight, yet in choice of 

 situation there are several. Where the Whiskered Bat and 

 Pipistrelle are seen, the Barbastelle may be seen also, but 

 having been once observed, it will, probably, be useless to 

 make search again at the same place. Equally uncertain is 

 its diurnal retreat ; most likely not the same place for long 

 together, as we have found it in places where it could not have 

 rested the day previously. A crevice in a wall or tree, the 

 spaces between the rafters and tiles of a cowshed, the timber 

 over a sawpit, the thatch of a shed in a brickyard, or behind 

 a cottage window-shutter, are suitable places of repose for the 

 Barbastelle, in all which situations we have met with it, and 

 always alone." 



In these few words Tomes seems to have hit off with 

 considerable accuracy the " flapping," almost aimless flight of 

 what would appear to be, at least occasionally, a wandering 

 species, living a life exempt from the routine which seems to 

 be so marked a feature in the daily existence of some others. 

 His estimate of its solitary habits not only when in its place 



J In Bell. 



