LONG-EARED BAT. 125 



round before the mouth, hovering, and hiding 

 its head, in the manner of birds of prey when they 

 feed. The adroitness it shewed in shearing off the 

 wings of the flies, which were always rejected, was 

 worthy of observation, and pleased me much. 

 Insects seemed to be most acceptable, though it 

 did not refuse raw flesh when offered ; so that the 

 notion that Bats go down chimnies and gnaw 

 men's bacon, seems no improbable story. While 

 I amused myself with this wonderful Quadruped, 

 I saw it several times confute the vulgar opinion, 

 that Bats, when down on a flat surface, cannot 

 get on the wing again, by rising with great ease 

 from the floor. It ran, I observed, with more 

 dispatch than I was aware of, but in a most ridicu- 

 and grotesque manner." — Whites Selb. 



Bats are commonly supposed to produce two 

 young at a birth ; which they suckle for a consi- 

 derable time. When recently born they adhere 

 most tenaciously to the breast of the parent, so 

 as not to be removed without difficulty. 



Bats lodge in great numbers in the cavities of 

 old buildings, under the projections of walls, in 

 the hollows of trees, in rocky places, &c. &c. 

 During winter they lie torpid in these recesses, 

 till the warmth of the vernal atmosphere invites 

 them abroad to make their evening excursions. 

 When taken torpid and brought into a warm situ- 

 ation, they awake from their slumber, and again 

 expand their wings. During this state of tor- 

 pidity the circulation of the blood is not to be 



