LOl^^G-EARED BAT- 1^5 
round before the mouth, hovering, and hidmg 
its head, in the manner of birds of prey when they 
feed. The adroitness it shewed in shearing off the 
wings of the flies, Adiich were always rejected, was 
worthy of observation, and pleased me much. 
Insects seemed to be most acceptable, though it 
did not refuse raw flesh when offered ; so that the 
notion that Bats go down chimnies and gnaw 
men's bacon, seems no improbal)le story. While 
I amused myself with this wonderful Quadruped, 
1 saw it several times confute the vulgar opinion, 
that Bats, when down on a flat surface, cannot 
get on the wing again, by rising with great ease 
from the floor. It ran, I observed, with more 
dispatch than I was aware of, but in a most ridicu- 
and grotesque manner." — IFhiie's Selb. 
Bats are commonly supposed to produce two 
young at a birth ; which they suckle for a consi- 
derable time. When recently born they adhere 
most tenaciously to the breast of the parent, so 
as not to be removed without difficulty. 
Bats lodge in great numbers in the cavities of 
old buildings, under the projections of walls, in 
the hollows of trees, in rocky places, &c. &c. 
During winter they lie torpid in these recesses, 
till the warmth of the vernal atmosphere invites 
them abroad to make their evening excursions. 
When taken torpid and brought into a warm situ- 
ation, they awake from their slumber, and again 
expand their wings. During this state of tor- 
pidity the circulation of the blood is not to be 
