The Red Bat is a t3'pical migrator}^ sjjpcies. Its range extends 
from Canada to the tropics, and westward across the continent, al- 
though it is not found throughout this whole region at any one 
season. Probably it does not reach the northernmost portion of its 
range until August, "when the long intense twilights which would be 
unsuitable to its habits, have ceased."* Coming south in autumn, 
it makes long flights across country or down the coast. Durmg Octo- 
ber many individuals have been found swinging asleep from exposed 
roots under the overhang of the beach cliffs which fringe the north 
shore of Long Island, and in all likelihood most such were migrants 
which had made the journey across the Sound. 
\\'ith its fox-colored coat, this species is the most readily recog- 
nized as well as the commonest on Long Island. Its fur is exquisitely 
soft, fluff}' and dry, without any trace of the oily finish of cave bats' 
fur, for the Red Bat lives chiefly in the open and sleeps among green 
leaves. There is much individual variation in the general shade of 
pelage, some being tawny while others range to rich auburn, but 
almost invariably the long hairs of the back are tipped with gray. 
The suckling young are paler than the adults and have short hair- 
When first coming out from their diurnal berths in the forests 
and groves the Red Bats fly high and sail leisurely down or across 
the wind, tacking like a ship if they would go against it- Frequent- 
ly they wheel and double in their course, making sallies for chance 
victims to their appetites. No bird, not even the swift, is half so 
agile. If a strong breeze be blowing, they soon descend near the 
ground ; but otherwise they are likely to fly well up in the air until 
dark- They do not commonly become quiescent at nightfall as many 
other kinds of bats are believed to do. On the contrary the}' often 
whirr past one along a country road three or four hours after sun- 
down, and they are seen hunting about village arc lights all through 
the evening up to midnight and after. At ten o'clock one August 
night several were caught in a butterfly net as they swept under 
such a light. From a long series of observations, the conclusion 
has been reached that these bats frequent the neighborhood of lights 
mainly when food is scarce elsewhere. For instance, they are seldom 
seen about the lights after fair summer days when insects swarm 
over the meadows. On the other hand, following heavy rainstorms. 
Red Bats in considerable numbers frequent the lights, whither the 
scattered insects are attracted, a:nd on evenings when a gentle driz- 
*C. H. Merria 
