Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/81

Rh the Bat's nose, or if a partially devoured mealworm succeeds, by dint of its convulsive struggles, in escaping from the Bat's jaws, and instinctively makes for the darkness beneath its body or wings, the Bat makes no attempt to recover it. It usually turns its head from side to side, and then runs forward on the look-out for fresh prey. This failure to recover, or even search for, food which has been dropped is not due to any distaste on the Bat's part, for it will seize and devour the lost prey if it be proffered again. It seems to arise from the absence of any conception that food once dropped can be found again, and no doubt implies that Bats obtain, and have for an infinite number of generations obtained, all their food whilst on the wing. Even if this be so, it is still very curious that a Bat should be able to adapt itself at once to entirely new conditions, and take food readily whilst held in the hand, and yet after a captivity of nearly three months should persistently ignore palatable food which it has dropped, and which lies immediately beneath it.

Bats drink frequently. My captive Noctules sometimes lapped water from a saucer which stood on the table, but generally took the liquid from a camel's-hair pencil, either by lapping, or by taking the brush into their mouths and sucking it. Their food consisted of mealworms (the larvæ of a beetle, Tenebrio molitor), raw lean beef, and such moths, beetles, and other insects as I was able to procure. All food was thoroughly masticated by an extremely rapid movement of the jaws before it was swallowed. The wings of moths were generally consumed, but the horny elytra of large beetles were bitten off and allowed to fall as the insect disappeared in the Bat's mouth. Mealworms and small moths, as well as Cicindela campestris, and beetles of lesser size, were seized and eaten without any attempt to overcome their struggles. On the other hand, large moths, such as Xylophasia polyodon and Phlogophora meticulosa, were sometimes, and the powerful beetles Geotrupes stercorarius and Melolontha vulgaris always, thrust by the Bat into the pouch formed by the interfemoral membrane, in order to secure them effectually before they were eaten. A Cricket (Acheta domestica) offered to one of Mr. Coward's Bats was treated in this way, but Cockroaches (Blatta orientalis) were in some instances thrust

ZooL 4th ser. vol. V., February, 1901.