VESrERUGO SEROTINUS EUSCUS. 1 85 



The laro-e membranous wings of the bat serve a double function : 

 not only do they sustain the animal in a strong and rapid flight, 

 enabling it to make quick and abrupt turns in the noiseless pursuit 

 of its insect prey ; but they are also sensitive to an extreme degree, 

 constitutincT organs of touch of unusual delicacy. They thus en- 

 able the bat with a certainty that is little short of marvellous, to 

 avoid the most inconspicuous objects that may lie in its way. On 

 this point Dr. Godman remarks : " We have already glanced at 

 the singular fact, that Bats have the power of directing their flight 

 with perfect correctness, even when deprived of their sight. In 

 1793' Spallanzani put out the eyes of a Bat, and observed that it 

 appeared to fly with as much ease as before, and without striking 

 ao-ainst objects in its way, following the curve of a ceiling, and 

 avoiding, with accuracy, everything against which it was expected 

 to strike. Not only were blinded Bats capable of avoiding such 

 objects as parts of a building, but they shunned, with equal address, 

 the most delicate obstacles, even silken threads, stretched in such 

 a manner as to leave just space enough for them to pass with their 

 wings expanded. When these threads were placed nearer together, 

 the Bats contracted their wings, in order to pass between them 

 without touching. They also passed with the same security be- 

 tween branches of trees placed to intercept them, and suspended 

 themselves by the wall, &c., wnth as much ease as if they could see 

 distinctly." (American Natural History, vol. I, pp. 42-43-) 



Dr. Joseph Schobl, of Prague, repeated these experiments, but 

 instead of putting out the eyes he covered them with adhesive 

 plaster. 



"He has kept bats, thus treated, for a year alive in his room, 

 and has entirely confirmed Spallanzani's results. To account for 

 these phenomena, the wings of bats have been examined for 

 peculiar nerve-endings, by Cuvier, Leydig, and Krause, but with- 

 out any success. The author's discoveries are therefore quite new 

 to science. The following is a short abstract of his results. The 



