The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-10-26
MILLIONS OF BATS.

htee lives in double log house. the out
side of which is weatherboarded About
two weeks ago he no iced a large number
of bats flying in tie direction of his house
and concealiug themselves IN the corners
of the windows and under the weather
boarding. lie Immediately began an on
slaught on them, and in a few minutes had
killed seventy, this lumber being all that
he could reach with such weapons as he
then had at haud. Next morning none
were to be seen, but at twilight they re-
turned III such vast numbers as To appal
him. His attention was first directed TO
the neighborhood of his front gate, at
which point he heard iunumerable tliting
noises like storm in the distance. Look
ing that way. he saw what at first hs. to,k
to be black cloud approaching but as il
got nearer he realized that il Was a horde
of bats.
As the swarm neared the house it lower
| ed as IT making ready to allght aud Nc
Atee, instinctively retieaiing from the for
midabe enemy, rushed through the front
| door, closed the shutters and lowered the
| window sashes. BY some means "A consid-
| cradle number found entrance into the
| room, and McAree and IA hired man sue
/ ceeded, with broomS. in killing about Que
! hundred. On the outside could be heard
tremendous commotinn, If the ba,s
were swarming and fighting among them
selves. After the bats hat had gotten into
! the room had been disposed Of McAtee
! went through the back door into the back
yard and around to the south side of the
! house where the hurde had congrerated.
, Tho scene at the window is described by
him to have Seen of the most extraordinary
character. The air was filled with mytiads
of bats, flying ami circlng about in all di-
rectlons, and darting against each other
! with audible force. A huge and writbing
mass had settled, and the entire frame, as
well as the wooden part Of the sash, was
covered with them. The Notwithstanding
| for at least five feet on each sid,, of the
| window, aud from the lower logs to the ton
| OF the house, was covered with the black
| throng. bright light shown through! the
| window panes and everything on the out
side plainly visible. Though the
greater part OF the invaders showed n pre-
| terence Tor this window, general iuSpcc-
tioh showed that they were distributed over
the entire premises. Hearing a great up-
roar in the hen-house Mr.. McAtee rushed
IN tia: direction, and found the entire fowl
yard, III which were one hundred and fifty
fowls, including chickens, turkeys and
guineaS, in the most eXtraoI dinary ST ate of
| pertuI batiOD. An army of bats had made
their way through the c-eyices. and were
indulging in such desperate demonstrations
uf Hitting aud cIrciing tbat every feafhered
InhabItaDt had been frightened from rs
roost, and the disturbed chanticieer. the
| cackling hen and the Shrill guinea made
i night hideous with their notes of alarm.
Every Clubhouse ON the place was either
Invaded or surrounded. In the stable
where three horses were munchinc their
oats there was a paving and whinuyi,g.
and An examination revealed the fact that
every stall and trough was infested with
bats, and McAtee deemed it a matter of
prudence to turn the horses loose into the
pastures. The dOss-of which there was
six on the piace-yent around hoylino in
| hISmay a hp NJ
Atee walked through the yard the air was
thick with bats, and he had to keen ND n
continuous hghIing with his hands and
arms 70 keep them from striking him in
the face
Overcome and confused by these phenom-
inal visitations. McAtee AT first did not
know what - do, but finally conceived a
plan which resulted IN the Capture and the
death of at lrast very large namber of
them An hour had passed away, aud the
, pes we're as numerous AT he sou b window
, as hey were al first lie prupnsed TO his
, hired man to raise the sash aud le; them
IN, an0 then close ;he window shutters
fiom the outside, aud having ii,us tr;.p,.ed
the game proceed to dispatch IT iu the most
, | expeditions manner. This plan Has II
once put into execution. As soon as NE
window sash WAS raised thousands rushed
in, aud in i've minutes there was not A va
cant spot the ceiling wall floor tahi.
bed post, bureau or chair The wiu,oyv
was closed and McAtee and has hired man
began The work of desiructi,,n.s Some pf
the bats seemed tu realize the dire IA tn
, ! which they were doomed, and made dcs
, perate efforts to find egr..ss tiionch tbe
panes. Others made war on the assaulted
party, aud the hiIeG mau was bitten once
, ! on the face aud twice on his left hand. -
: | The j~o men were armed with ax-beIy~s
! aud they iDadc fearful havoc among the
! foe. The slaughter continued an hour and
haif, many "f the bats being perched nj
! points ot tlis ceiling difficult to reach. The
= I resul i'y actual count was 4 IG:3 dead hairs
and The carcdsscS flied large barrel
which holds over five bushels. Thnua h
! this onslaught 2r atty diminished The
2 number OF invaders there were still hum.
, dreds aud perhaps thousands Of them l.ft
= though, owing to the darkness, il " a. found
, / impracticaGlet 10 make further war ON them.
< ! Next morning when McAtee awolxe rt,t 3,
S bat to- be seen. all the survivors bavipc
P disappeared as mystcIiou as they can,.-
+ u seems, however. that the bats Uers
determined To make McAtee's bo1se -bei,
e haunt, aud the following night they
: swarmed as formidably as on their 6r-,
' ! visit and over three thonsand were killed.
5 They still persist iu cbmiug aud ,p +, TINS
4 time there have been upward of l7.nO0
e slain, aud though there is a visible aud
: ! gratifying falling off in the number of m
{ vaders they vet ln!est tie premises IN =, 4
a fic.ent numbers to be very tronblesoo,,.
: Where they come frozen aud why they have
4, | selected that particular place as resort
/. are two mysteries which have not been
t fathoped. IL - believed that they come
ftom an immense tbieket about ten miles
up the Missouri river. where they breed ~
{ countless quantities. II j. known tha, ,l.,.
!, thiokei or swamp y thiokly Infested nith
n them. aud silil-hnuters have often found
= them 50 numerous in cs,rtain spots thai
y they could not make headNey without gre A
e annoyance. McAtee considers the vista
z ton serions calamity. aud II CARRYING on
1t n relentless war af rxterInpsation. III,
1t invading bat II of the comsaun SPECIES
10 quad Hpedal. and wHh bsziy much hk,
that of a rnouse. The story is certainly a,
extraordinary sne. ard it's .rath ~ ya,,e,,.,