LONG-EARED BAT. 129 



tion of nerves is expanded on the upper jaw, the 

 muzzle, and the organ of hearing; and these ap- 

 peared to him, in a great degree, to account for 

 the extraordinary faculty above described. 



Mr. Carlisle's observations on this subject seem 

 to prove that the sense of hearing in the Bat is 

 uncommonly delicate, and is one of the principal 

 causes of the dexterity with which these animals, 

 even when blinded, avoid objects which would 

 impede their flight. This gentleman collected 

 several specimens of the Vespertilio auritus or 

 large-eared Bat, and observed, that when the ex- 

 ternal ears of the blinded ones were closed, they 

 hit against the sides of the room, without being 

 at all aware of their situation. They refused 

 every species of food for four days, as did a larger 

 number which were afterwards caught and pre- 

 served in a dark box for above a week. During 

 the day time they were extremely desirous of re- 

 tirement and darkness; and, while confined to the 

 box, never moved or endeavoured to get out during 

 the whole day, and, when spread on the carpet, 

 they commonly rested some minutes, and then be- 

 ginning to look about, crawled slowly to a dark 

 corner or crevice. At sunset the scene was quite 

 changed : every one then endeavoured to scratch 

 its way out of the box; a continued chirping was 

 kept up, and no sooner was the lid of their prison 

 opened than each was active to escape, either fly- 

 ing away immediately, or running nimbly to a con- 

 venient place for taking wing. When these Bats 

 were first collected, several of the females had 



v. i. 9 



