The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1920-07-23
Live in Extensive Caverns, From
10000 to $1,000 in a
Group.
IMPORTANT ECONOMIC VALUE
Scientist Finds Twenty Different vari-
eties-Some Kill Insects and Are
useful to Man-Others De-
stroy Fruit

New Notwithstanding recently from
the Island Of Jamaica. In the West
Indies, where he spent four months
on a scientific expedition. III. E. An
thony, associate curator Of mammals
at the Museum Of Natural History.
brought back with him many fine speci-
mems of bats. which are numerous
ON that and other islands in the West
indies.
"The only mammals native to the
Islands today" Mr.. Anthony said, "are
twenty species of bats and one species
Of rodent. These different bats range
In size from small bats. with wing
spread of six inches, up to very large
bats, with a wing spread of from TWEEN
ty-eight to thirty inches"
People In the United States, where
bats are comparatively rare animals,
have no idea Of the variety and abun-
dance of them In such place as ia
maica, or of the important economic
value of the bat. They are either In
sect-eating or feed on fruits. The In
sect-eating varieties are small for the
most part, and have considerable val
ne as insect destroyers. They feed on
mosquitoes and on a great variety
Of winged insect life. many Of which
are obnoxious to man or injurious to
agriculture.
Homes In Caves.
The, island is composed largely Of
limestone, and caves are Of frequent
occurrence, and these caves are the
abode of by far the greater part Of
the bat population. Many caves are
small. but not infrequently caves are
found which are several miles In
length. Some such have great sub
terranean chambers through which
rivers run. passing completely under
some small mountain chain; others
have series of intercommunicating
chambers through which person may
walk for hours without retracing his
steps. 1t is in such places that innu-
merable hosts of these peculiar anil
mails may be found. and 1t Is no exag-
geration to estimate their numbers In
a single large cave as 10000 or $4,000
individuals.
When q person enters such a cave
and disturbs the inmates a scene of
wild confusion ensues. In which a YER
table whirlwind Of flying forms may
deluge the intruder and rush about
Through every part Of the cave. To one
to whom bat Is repulsive and dia.
bolical creature such an intimacy
would be highly distasteful, but to one
who understands the bat Il is a most
interesting experience. Such a meet
ing affords an opportunity for an init
mate insight into the animals home
life. While the flight of the bat under
normal circumstances is perfectly
noiseless, In such chambers in which
thousands of individuals are fiyine
wildly about the noise Of their wings
sounds like great wind storm.
In the caves are great piles OF
guano deposited by the bats. These
deposits sometimes are Is or 20 feet
thick and are valuable as fertilizer: II
is used by natives on fields. In good
cave many tons may be taken on,
without exhausting the supply There
are species Of bats, such as the fruit
eating. which are not SO useful to man
Some Of the larger bats belong to this
group. TheyTcome out OF their homes
nm hour, before dark and fiy about fruit
trees, searching for ripe fruit. They
eat great variety Of fruits, depend
ing on the season and locality. They
eat bananas. naseberries, sweetsop
ripe coffee berries, rose-apples< and
many other varieties.
Fish Eating Bat
| II the fruit Ia small they cut 4
loose and ny away with It, but * It Il
! large they cling to It and eat It on ths