622 



RE PORT OF STATE GEOJ.OGIST. 



first upper premolar much larger than the second ; third upper pre- 

 molar not high in proportion to its width as it is in subulatas. 

 Cranial measurements for ten specimens from Mitchell average: 

 Greatest length of skull, 15 mm. (10/16 in.) ; length of palate, 6.7 

 mm. in.); maxillary tooth row, 6.9mm. (14 in.); greatest 

 width of braincase, 7.8mm. (5/16 in.); depth of braincase over 

 audital bulla, 6.9 mm. (i/4 iii-)- 



Range. — This species is found from Newfoundland to Kam- 

 chatka and south to Florida and Texas. The typical species seems 

 to be absent, however, from the Rocky Mountain region where it is 

 replaced by a slightly different form. In Indiana it occurs through- 

 out the state but is most abundant in the cave region of the southern 

 part. 



Habits. — The bats of this species are typically cave dwellers. 

 In winter they collect in the caves of southern Indiana in enormous 

 numbers. Blatchley records taking 401 from one and seven-tenths 

 square feet of the roof of Saltpetre Cave, in Crawford County. In 

 Wyandotte Cave they gather by the thousands and in the many 

 caves, large and small, which I have entered, not one has been with- 

 out bat inhabitants in winter. During the summer they leave the 

 caves and become scattered over wide areas. Temporary dwellings 

 are found in hollow trees, attics and deserted buildings. 



Bats differ from most of the higher animals in that they never 

 construct or occupy any sort of nest or den. Any cranny where 

 the light is not too intense and the temperature is moderate, serves 

 them for a temporary abode. They do not even trouble themselves 

 to return to the same place on successive days. 



The young are fairly well developed when born. They cling to 

 the mother's fur and are carried about by her, at least while ver}^ 

 young. Some species, and perhaps all, later leave their offspring 

 in some secluded nook and return for them when they have finished 

 feeding. The number of young differs for different species. For 

 Myotis lucifugus it is pro})ably one or two. They are born some 

 time in June and grow rapidly, maturing before the end of Sep- 

 tember. 



Mating occurs in November (perhaps in October and December 

 also), but the ova are not fertilized until the bats leave the cave in 

 April. The spermatozoa remain alive in the uterus of the f(^niale 

 throughout the winter. 



The food of bats consists wholly of insects. So many of these 

 are eaten by each individual and the animals themselves are so 

 nnmorons thnt they \\v{\ nlmost ;is beneficial to man as birds. The 



