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ON SOME HABITS OF NATTEKEE'S BAT. 

 By T. A. Coward. 



On Sept. 12th I received a living male Natterer's Bat (Myotis 

 natter eri, Kuhl), from Mr. A. Whitaker, of Barnsley. I was able 

 to observe a few of its habits in captivity, for it lived until 

 Oct. 13th. 



It arrived by post in the morning and, though it was rather 

 sleepy, took food at once. It required but little teaching ; only 

 two mealworms had to be put into its mouth, the third it took 

 from my fingers and devoured at once. After that I never had 

 any trouble with it ; its appetite was good, and no sooner had 

 one mealworm disappeared than it was moving its head about 

 looking for another. Like most Bats it was a thirsty animal, 

 and was generally ready to suck the end of a camel's-hair brush 

 dipped in water ; but however thirsty it was it never cared for 

 milk. When it had licked or sucked — for it drank in both ways 

 — sufficient water from the brush, it would splutter and spit if 

 more were offered to it. 



In the evening of the day it arrived I was not able to 

 visit it until 10.30 p.m., when I found it asleep. I cannot say 

 if it had been awake and had relapsed again into lethargy, but 

 on subsequent evenings it generally roused itself about eight 

 o'clock. When sleeping, if taken in the hand, it became 

 thoroughly awake in about ten minutes ; the process of awaken- 

 ing was similar to that in other Bats — the animal panted and 

 throbbed until it had "pumped" itself warm and lively; the 

 rise in temperature was very noticeable. As a rule, however, I 

 allowed it to rouse itself; it generally squeaked once or twice 

 before it began to scramble about in its cage ; when fully awake 

 its actions were spasmodic, it moved its head constantly with 

 that peculiar nervous action which is common to most Bats. 



When released in my room it flew without hesitation either 

 by lamplight or in the daytime. Sometimes it would keep near 



