14 BROOKLYN INSTITUTE MUSEUM. SCIF.NCK T.ULLETIX 2. I. 
day was frequently watched making its toilet, an elaborate operation. 
It combed the fur of its head and neck with its sharp curved claws 
by passing either hind foot over the shoulder. Then it licked its back, 
flanks, and handsome collar, and the hairy patches on its wings, 
spreading its black membranes repeatedly, and making grimaces with 
its mobile, curious nose and lips. All this it would do either on the 
wire door or while clinging upright on a profTered index finger- In 
the latter position it also would drink water, taking two or three 
laps with its tongue, then raising its mouth, chicken-like, to swallow. 
Within a few days after the capture, some meal worms were pro- 
cured to feed the unusual pet It paid no attention to the worm held 
before it until the wriggling larva actually touched the face- Then 
it snapped the insect from the fingers and began the process of 
mastication, long and painful to behold ! No coaxing was needed 
after this. The bat reached viciously for everything held before it, 
squeaking the while in notes so high that they well might have been 
above the range of some low-pitched mortal ears, and fifteen good 
sized meal worms followed the first within ten minutes, a perform- 
ance which the bat equalled only once again, although several times 
it ate ten at a meal. The brute's procedure was to seize a worm, pass 
it rapidly from end to end through its teeth until all wriggling had 
ceased, and then to chew it rapidly, thoroughly, and loudly, with 
many an uncouth smack of the lips, until the end of the victim gradu- 
ally passed from view. It would eat two worms at a time, one 
hanging from either side of its mouth, and would attempt to seize 
even a third. Once satisfied, it would pay no attention whatsoever to 
further profiferings of food. It would eat beetles whole, chopping the 
elytra into tiny fragments. Moths it also devoured with avidity, 
dropping the wings, however. If the victim were large and powerful 
the bat would use its interfemoral membrane, thumb-joint, the sides 
of its body, or its support to aid it in securing a better grasp. House 
flies it would seize, but would immediately spit them out again, 
and it never would touch a dead insect. Invariably within a few 
minutes after eating it exuded a few drops of dark yellow urine. 
Several times the Bat was given the freedom of a large room in 
order that its splendid flight might be observed. When placed on 
the floor it would spring into the air without the slightest difliculty, 
and circle round the upper walls easily and gracefully, but as a rule 
after a few turns it dropped to a piece of furniture and clung there- 
