428 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and slightly increased in numbers annually. The present occupiers of 

 the house, however, objected to their presence, chiefly owing to the 

 squeaking noises which they made. Last year they were ill-advised to 

 securely fasten a piece of tin over the hole in the early spring, in order 

 to keep the Bats out, whilst really they fastened them in. As the time 

 advanced past the date for their appearance, I am told by the neigh- 

 bours that the noises (squeakings) of the imprisoned Bats were terrible 

 to listen to for about a fortnight ; but eventually they succeeded in 

 forcing one corner of the tin away, and many of them managed to 

 squeeze out and get free, though, judging from the numbers seen, more 

 had died inside. The aperture which formed the only entrance and 

 exit of their chamber was a very small one (just large enough for one 

 Bat at a time to crawl through), and was situated at the gable end of 

 the house, where the brick wall and roof joined, and close to the spout. 

 They commenced to come out, as a rule, about an hour before sunset, 

 and sometimes it would take quite an hour and a quarter between the 

 arrival of the first and the last. The order of their leaving was very 

 curious. A loud squeaking would be heard for a minute or two near 

 the inside of the hole ; then a Noctule would appear, and launch itself 

 into the air, followed in quick succession by four or five more. Then 

 silence ensued for a minute or so, followed by the squeaking noises 

 again, and another party of five or six would follow each other out. 

 This mode of procedure would be carried on continuously. Silence, 

 squeakings, and then Bats in constant succession. Most of the 

 "parties" consisted of from five to eight individuals, though on 

 occasions (particularly on evenings when the greatest numbers were 

 leaving) I have seen as many as a dozen or more follow each other out 

 without a break, but this was exceptional. These small parties were 

 called families by my friends, but they scattered off individually and in 

 separate directions immediately they were clear from the hole. Soon 

 after dark the first of the returning Noctules would be heard fluttering 

 to get back again into the hole, after which the fluttering would be 

 continuous for an hour or more as they all returned. My young 

 friends next door took advantage of this, and by means of a fishing-rod 

 held from an upstairs window were able to knock down a good many 

 into the yard below. Prom time to time I must have examined at the 

 least seventy or eighty Bats from this colony. They were all Noctules, 

 the largest measuring 14J in. from tip to tip of expanded wings. I 

 never saw any very young ones, although several, by their smaller size, 

 I took to be immature. Both sexes were represented, and as far as I 

 can remember were in about equal proportions. The stomachs of 

 several which I examined contained chiefly broken elytra or wing-cases 



