There can be no doubt that this process, varied in minor points in accordance with differences of structure, reveals to us what takes place in Bats generally in immediate connection with the birth of the young.  From all the observations that have been made it appears certain that the female Bats produce only a single young one at a birth; that this is at first blind, naked, and helpless; and that the female nurses it carefully—­a process which must be greatly facilitated by the power of clinging to its parent possessed by the young Bat from the first moment of its appearance in the world.  The two nipples possessed by the female are situated upon the breast, sometimes quite at the sides under the arm-pits, a position which renders it particularly easy for the careful mother to tend her offspring, while she is also enabled to carry it about with her in her evening flights, the young creature clinging firmly to its mother’s fur, and being quite out of the way of the movements of the wings.  This part of the business, of course, could not be exemplified in Mr. Daniell’s case, as the female was imprisoned in a cage, but it is a well-known fact in the natural history of these creatures that the mother does carry her young about with her so long as it continues helpless.  Apparently, indeed, even after the young animal becomes capable of flying about, its mother still retains some interest in its well-being—­at least, if we may apply generally a case recorded by Dr. Allen in his account of the Bats of North America.  It relates to a small species, the Red Bat, very common throughout the United States, a young individual of which having been captured by a lad, “three hours afterwards, in the evening, as he was conveying it to the museum in his hand, while passing near the place where it was caught, the mother made her appearance, and followed the boy for two squares, flying around him, and finally alighted on his breast, such was her anxiety to save her offspring.  Both were brought to the museum, the young one firmly adhering to its mother’s teat.  This faithful creature lived two days in the museum, and then died of injuries received from her captor.  The young one being but half grown was still too young to take care of itself, and died shortly after.”

This little anecdote seems to set the moral character of the Bat in a very favorable light, at any rate as regards the family affections, and there is no doubt that the females of all the species of the group show considerable fondness for their young.  In other respects, perhaps, they do not all shine quite so brilliantly, for, as we have seen, the Fruit Bats squabble very selfishly for the most convenient sleeping places, as indeed do other gregarious species of the order, and some of the former quarrel and fight over their food.  As regards amiability of character, however, there is probably considerable difference between different kinds of Bats; at any rate, in confinement, they show much diversity of temper, some of them being