IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 113 



milk, biscuits and boiled rice, and drink often, especially during the 

 summer. 



Breeding. — Flying foxes have several times bred in the garden, 

 and have only one young at a birth. It firmly clings to the breast of 

 the mother, and remains in that position for about a month. 



Transport. — Flying foxes are by no means amiable in disposition, 

 and if a number of them are confined in a small space, they are apt to 

 quarrel and bite each other. There must be some netting or bars 

 in the cage from which they can suspend themselves. 



Observations on the habits of Flying Foxes. 

 Their curious instinct of hanging head downwards has already been 

 mentioned. They do this nearly all day. The head is slightly raised, 

 and the chin touches the chest. Sometimes also the creature envelops 

 itself in its wing membrane. The specimens in this garden afford an 

 excellent illustration of the adaptation of habits to external circumstances 

 and altered conditions of life. Although essentially nocturnal animals 

 in their wild state, in captivity they feed and drink regularly during 

 the day. They watch keenly for their food, and as it is placed inside 

 the cage they scramble down the wire netting, and while still holding on 

 to the wire snatch a plantain or a piece of any other food and scramble 

 up again. Like other animals, they will quarrel for the same object, 

 whether food or other trifle. In captivity they are seldom noisy. Their 

 large ears are very sensitive, and may often be seen in a state of 

 vibratory movement. They have a disagreeable smell. 



(119) THE LESSER FRUIT BAT. 



(CYJN T OPTERUS MARGINATUS— (Geoffr.) ) 



Bengali^ — Cham-chika. 



Very common in Bengal. The size and colour vary in the specimens 

 obtained from different localities. Its distinguishing feature is a white 

 narrow margin in the ears. Size very small, a full-grown animal 

 varying from 3J to 4| inches. 



Sab. — Found throughout India. 



These animals do not appear to bear captivity well, and they are 

 so well known that perhaps it would be better to dispense with the 

 exhibition of them in Calcutta. They are exclusively frugivorous, and 

 hundreds may be seen of an evening congregating round a fruit-tree or 

 a plantain grove. Sometimes they venture inside a house, and dazzled 

 by the light flutter about. During the day they roost on the eaves 

 and rafters of old buildings, and under the surface of the plantain 



(120) THE BLACK HILL SQUIRREL. 

 (SCIUmTS GIGANTEFS— McQlelland.) 



All squirrels are designated Gilhere in Hindustani and Katbidal in 

 Bengali. No specific distinction is popularly recognized. 



