LONG-EARED BAT. 129 
tion of nerves is expanded on the upper jaw^ the 
muzzle, and the organ of hearing; and these ap- 
peared to him, in a great degree^, to account for 
the extraordinary faculty above described. 
Mr. Carlisle's observations on this subje6l seem 
to prove that the sense of hearing in the Bat is 
uncommonly delicate, and is one of the principal 
causes of the dexterity with which these animals, 
even when blinded, avoid objects which would 
impede their flight. This gentleman collected 
several specimens of the Vespertilio auritus or 
large-eared Bat, and observed, that when the ex- 
ternal ears of the blinded ones were closed, they 
hit against the sides of the room, without being 
at all aware of their situation. They refused 
every species of food for four days, as did a larger 
number which were afterwards caught and pre- 
served in a dark box for above a week. During 
the day time they were extremely desirous of re- 
tirement and darkness; and, while confined to the 
box, never moved or endeavoured to get out during 
the whole day, and, when spread on the carpet, 
they commonly rested some minutes^ and then be- 
ginning to look about, crawled slowly to a dark 
corner or crevice. At sunset the scene was quite 
changed : every one then endeavoured to scratch 
its way out of the box ; a continued chirping was 
kept up, and no sooner was the lid of their prison 
opened than each was active to escape, either fly- 
ing away immediately, or running nimbly to a con- 
venient place for taking wing. When these Bats 
were first collected, several of the females had 
V. I. 9 
