ial 
United States Department of the Intep 
¥ish and Aildlife Service 
“FERS 71Gm 
_ Wildlife Leaflet 260: 
nn ea pep ea rt rr eS a eng cee ae pr ane a meet nent ROU enya rr at ey ef 
pa ef een tre gi 
ee Tr ee Re eT 
es ope - o + | September 1924 
ELIMINATING BATS FROM surpinasY 
nS ee 
By James oe Director, Atlanta, Georgie 
i R ee ee 
es my. “osbents 
. Page | Pag 
Introduce MOM a ie eh ss). Mn ss LP COMEPOL ck se cp 9 a suis acc ep) sila eer mat 
Peser1oLON Of Ne Snineneeeeens on | Bat—proofing buildings 2.0 .6esu sew 
tra he... s As | 2} Repellents .6.c.we cle coe cae cage cme 
Be@noIme Scltus .....- pee ».. . 2 |, Mestroying Dats ones ce ste cvee dani 
INPRODUCTION 
Bats usually become ebnoxlous when they take uo their abode in buildings 
occupiec by man. Requests for information on how to get ric of bat roosts have 
been received from all parts of the country, but varticularly from the eastern 
bier of States from New York to North Carolina, Californie ana Wisconsin also 
have been well’ represented, but relatively few complaints have come from the 
prairie and mountain Stetes of the West. 
DESCPI PTION OF THE ANIMALS 
Bats are the only mammals equipped to fly. They. tinhacit almost all parts 
of the world, and more than 260 snecies and subspecies have been described from 
North America alone. The bats of the United States are relatively smalil,-the 
body measuring 3 to 6 inches, and the wing expanse 10 to 18 inches. The wings 
consist of a thin, papery membrane connecting the greatly elongeted forearm and 
fingers with the hind lambs, teil, and body. With this snecialized equipment 
bats have ceveloped a remarkable power of quick, ae and. sustained flight 
that enables them to Capture with the gréetest ease ‘the many forms of night- 
flying insects wpon-which they chiefly feed, Most of the eommon forms of bats 
are of sowe shade of brown, although slate, grav, yellow, black, anc. white are 
i F aed a rool Nnsbueits lini om Saale as JA ieay ed it) 
conspicuous anh Some svecies, Unlike most nocturnal animals, bets have very 
small eyes, but nevertheless even on the darkest nights are able to fly with 
“uncanny accuracy and rapidity through dense tree growth, 
~ Gas Leaflet is a revision (without illustrations) of United States De- 
pertaent ee ei ture ‘Leaflet No. 109, issued in aA gece 19356 
Formerly Pan Director, Division of .Game eae gement, Bureau of 
Biological Survey. 
U.S. pepiarics “Y OF AGHICULTURE 
AQHRRENT SERIAL RECORD 
