338 REV. H. A. MACPHERSON : GREATER HORSE-SHOE BAT. 



other. Stationing myself near a rather small hole, which leads from 

 one passage to another, I managed to secure two in a butterfly net 

 as they flew through. Although they fly very swiftly, I feel sure that 

 if I had had a larger net to put before the hole, which is about 5 ft. 

 by 3 ft. in size, I should have been able to catch a dozen or so in as 

 many minutes. The hole in question slopes downwards, leading 

 from a higher passage to a lower one, and I noticed that the Bats 

 only flew down this hole, never up it. I may remark, that though I 

 am generally pretty accurate with the butterfly net, yet the Bats w r ere 

 nearly always too quick for me, and I was surprised to see how 

 quickly they turned aside, avoiding the net and the projecting pieces 



of rock in the neatest manner possible I enclose a few moth 



wings [chiefly those of a large yellow underwing, H.A.M.], which I 

 picked up out of a heap of their refuse, in order to demonstrate the 

 general nature of their food ; there were several Cockchafers, Dor- 

 beetles, Scavenger-beetles, and other Coleoptera, all partly eaten, in 

 these heaps, which were near the mouth of the cave. The Bats seem 

 to prefer the mouth of the caves to the interior parts, for although I 

 went in a great distance, I failed to see a single Bat beyond a certain 

 limit, i.e.-, where the daylight failed absolutely.' 



In another letter, of August 19th, this admirable observer 

 remarks, ' I again visited the caves yesterday to try to get a few 

 more Bats. I am sorry to report that I only secured a single 

 specimen ; they have become so excessively wild that I experienced 

 the greatest difficulty in getting that one, which I only obtained by 

 stretching a net across a certain part of the cave. I send you the 

 two I have been able to catch, by this morning's post.' 



The specimens in question were duly delivered next day, one 

 only being alive and well. The other had died, no doubt in transit 

 It was a male, and of an extremely pale colour above, as compared 

 with its fellow. The writer at once handed it over to the Natural 

 History Museum at Kensington — the British Room of which is 

 much in need of Bats, — Mr. Harting kindly taking charge of the speci- 

 men in the absence of Mr. Thomas. 



The survivor, a female, exhibited great anxiety to escape, and 

 crawled with some agility, rapidly twitching its large and delicate ears. 



The horse-shoe membrane, which shrinks in preserved examples, 

 was fully developed in both specimens, and the canine teeth seemed 

 large in comparison with the very small incisors. 



Upon being released the female made a few circles round the 

 room, flying slowly and heavily, as compared with the smaller British 

 Bats. Once, indeed, it struck in flight against a bookcase, being, 

 perhaps, confused by the shaking of its journey and the strangeness 



Naturalist, 



