The diamond drill., 1903-01-17
BATS ARE WINGED MONSTERS.
Those of the Philippines Are Gigantic
aud Inspire the People
with Terror.

IHtiipplHrh# hEt DAlHklhE Win ihcn
some curious trophies from those is
lands and incidentally relate some
startling tales of the strange animal
and bird life Of our new possessions in
the far east, reports the New York
Times. BY far the most startling OF
these tales refer 10 the bats of the is
lands. The variety current in the
Philippines is not the "Bat, bat, fly
under my hat" familiar TO the Ameri-
can small boy. They are veritable
giants of the bat world, measuring
often five feet from wing tip TO wing
tip. Their bodies are as large as those
of foxes and their heads are not un-
like these animals heads in shape.
The Philippine bats make their
homes in the caves (Which are very
plentiful in the forest districts OF the
islands) in large colonies, clinging to
the sides and roofs of the caves during
the day and coming out in countless
hordes about dusk tofeed and indulge
in their aerial stunts.
Many stories are current as TO the
effect OF the first experience with
these giant bats upon men fresh from
the states. Raw recruits assigned TO
picket duty on the outskirts of camp
at late dusk have rushed into quarters
white with terror. Recovering, they
would relate, amid the suppressed
mirth of their more seasoned fellow
soldiers, how some enormous thing
(and in their recountings the bats
were often given credit for consider
ably more bulk than they actually pos
sessed) had come upon them silently
while they were patrolling their picket
line. Without sound this ghoulish
specter. with nothing about il 10 sig
Nifty life but a pair of extremely
bright eyes that shone out from the
somber blanket like a pair of demon
lights, had swooped so close to them
that they felt the rush of air against
their faces, some averring that they
detected the smell OF sulphur. All in
all. the thing is just trifie too uncan-
NY for them, and their superstitious
horror had gotten the better OF their
physical bravery and they had, un-
herolike, fed.
To the wives Of the American off,
GERS the giant bats were special
dread and annoyance. At home they
had always harbored n creepy dread
of the smaller winged rodents there
that have a tendency to intrude in
boudoirs, half believing in the bats
fondness for attaching themselves TO
human hair, but this could be coun-
teracted on the evening stroll by the
affecting of a "fascinator." Not so in
the Philippines. 1t was altogether too
great a strain on the imagination TO
think that this remedy would suffice
TO shield one from the unwelcome
curiosity of the winged monsters that
circle the air there.
II is related that on one occasion
one of these giant bats, astray in its
bearings, penetrated TO the dining
room Of the most fashionable hotel in
Manila at time when the room was
crowded with American and European
guests after the concerts.
Its appearance in the room, as il
futtered excitedly about, attempting
10 find an exit. created as much of
stampede as an earthquake or vol
canic eruption. Women fed i'm shrek.
ing terror from the room, fighting and
struggling at the doorways TO escape
from the uncanny intruder. and men
rolled under the tables and sought
refuge in corners and behind every
convenient shield. And IL was some
time (the bat I'm the meantime having
been captured by the hotel attendants)
before quiet was restored and things
had assumed their wonted gayety.
Parties Of Americans and Europeans
have visited the caves resorted 10 by
these giant fruit bats in colony, with
the smaller insectivorous bats Of the
islands. They speak of the sight as in
describable. Every available inch of
the space on walls and roof is utilized
by the creatures.
These caves also present field of
commercial interest that will in all
probability commend itself 10 Ameri-
can capitalists. The guano deposits
contained within these caves have
never been worked, and with the in
creasing interest in agriculture in the
islands these exceedingly rich depos-
its of fertilizing material will have
great commercial value.
The skins of the giant bats that have
been brought home by American sol
diers are examples OF the largest
specimens TO be obtained in the Phil
ippines. The skins are very soft the
fur being as smooth almost as seal,
and are OF a brownish color. One
skin brought TO the United States by
an officer measures almost five feet
between the tips OF the wings, and the
skin shows the body must have been
fully as large as that OF domestic
cat
Since the American occupation il
has become quite the thing among
devotees of the shotgun 10 spend half
hour before absolute darkness peg.
ging away" at the enormous bats with
duck shot. and the easiness OF the tar.