FLYING FOXES 137 
rising members of the community awake from their 
disturbed slumbers, and make preparation for the work 
of the night. They take to their wings and fly about 
over the roosting-trees. Gradually they are joined 
by their companions who, one by one, spread out their 
leathery pinions; and soon the whole colony is in 
motion, The mere fact of flying through the air seems 
to put the creatures in a better frame of mind, for the 
discordant clamour above described is no longer heard. 
It is replaced by another cry, which, if not pleasing 
to the ear, does not set one’s teeth onedge. The flying 
fox, as it sails through the air with easy motion, gives 
vent to a sound intermediate between the “ quack” of a 
duck and the “caw” of a crow. 
As the veil of darkness begins to fall over the face of 
the earth, the members of the bat colony cease from 
circling round the roosting-trees and fly off in various 
directions in long columns, each bound for some orchard 
or fruit-tree. 
Flying foxes live almost exclusively on fruit; and 
greedy brutes they are. Each one probably devours 
more than its own weight of fruit during the night, and 
doubtless destroys as much as it consumes. Seeing 
that the population of fruit-eating bats within munici- 
pal limits must number several thousands, it is not 
surprising that one’s butler is continually assuring one 
that fruit is difficult to procure in Madras. The 
amount of damage done to orchards by these flying 
foxes must be enormous. Indeed, letters of complaint 
have appeared in the “Madras Mail” from those who 
have suffered at the hands of the frugivorous Chetvoptera. 
