160 
PHOENIX PARK. 
wings at the distance of a foot or two ; and sails 
away to procure his insect-supper. Another im- 
mediately follows the first, and at his heels is another, 
and another, until perhaps half a dozen are out. Then 
there is a pause for some little time, during which 
more scrambling is heard, and presently another 
leader emerges with a tail” of three or four more 
in Indian file ; — and so on till about fifteen have 
come forth, — the whole household. I judge that 
they crawl along one after another in a straight line 
to the outlet, in parties. 
After having witnessed the exit of the party on 
one or two evenings, and been assured by my friends 
that the same performance was nightly repeated, I 
determined to essay the capture of some specimens to 
ascertain the species. The hole in the eaves was 
within reach of the top of the steps, where I sta- 
tioned myself with an insect net about sunset, to the 
no small interest of the children. We presently 
heard one slowly scuffling along upon the plaster, 
making a smothered chirping sound : this enabled 
us to trace his progress by the ear, and when he 
seemed to be near the hole, I held up the gauze net 
in front. The sight of this, however, evidently de- 
terred the Bat, for he remained at the mouth chirp- 
ing, but without attempting a fiight. At length I 
removed the net to the distance of a foot or two, 
holding it in act to strike. He now ventured forth, 
thinking the coast clear, but the projecting eaves 
compelled him to fly downward, and I was alert 
enough to receive him into the bag of the net. It 
proved a Molossus^ of chestnut-coloured fur, and 
