downwards, and they have at first a * kink ’ in them; sometimes they are bent
backwards deliberately until they lie close along the body, covered by the projecting
elbow-joint, but sometimes they are folded smartly back with a sudden action,
though the eyes of the Bat remain open and watchful for a considerable time
before sleep overtakes it. The tragus always points forward, and the ordinary
observer may well be excused for mistaking the tragus of a sleeping Long-eared
for the true ear. The folds in which the closed ear lies are remarkable, and when
the Bat wakes up it unfurls them slowly and with deliberation, often remaining
for some time with them at ‘ half-cock.’ The ears do not always work
simultaneously, and quaint indeed is the appearance of the little creature when
one ear is fully extended and the other either entirely closed or only half
unfurled. I have found them in their retreats hanging in this curious posture.
That these ears are organs of great sensitiveness can be well imagined from
the way in which the animal uses them, pricking them and moving them forward;
when searching a tree for moths they are directed forward, but when the Bat is
flying they are held well in line with the head. M. de Jurine’s cruel experiments,
following on those of the Italian naturalist Spallanzani, showed that when the
ears were closed the animal was more or less helpless, banging against objects in
its flight, although the loss of sight did not appear to inconvenience it. Bingley,
in his ‘ British Quadrupeds’ (1809, p. 45), enlarges upon the ideas of Edwards,
and Pennant, that the tragus is specially formed to act as a valve to the large
sensitive ears when the creature is asleep; they are, he says, ‘ evidently given to
the animals for the purpose of keeping out noxious insects, and preventing any
other extraneous matter from entering their head during sleep.’ This notion,
however, is false, as any observer can see for himself if he will examine a
sleeping Long-eared Bat; the tragus does not seal up the auditory opening, but
hangs free.
The Long-eared Bat is rather quarrelsome in its disposition, and will attack
and bite Bats of any other species which venture into its retreat. It has been
noticed to attack and drive away the Pipistrelle from the neighbourhood of its.
feeding-ground. I f kept in confinement, it is wisest to place this species in a cage
by itself. Mr. W. Storey1 found, moreover, that some captive Long-eared Bats
made short work of a young one which was confined with them, not only killing
it, but devouring it entirely.
In different circumstances this Bat, as well as other species, has considerable
1 Naturalist, 1886, p. 21.