The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-07-31
Live in Extensive Caverns, From
10000 to $1,000 in a
Group.
IMPORTANT ECONOMIC VALUE
Scientist Finds Twenty Different varl.
eties-Some XIII 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. H. E. An
thony, associate curator Of mammals
at the Museum Of Natural History.
brought back with him many fine spect
mems Of bats, which are numerous
on that and other islands In the West
Indies.
1.-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 twen-
ty-eight to thirty inches,
People In the United States. where
bats are comparatively rare animals,
have no idea Of the variety and album
dance Of them In such a place as ia
maica. or OF the important economic
value Of the bat. They are either In
sect-eating OF 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 great variety
of winged insect life, many Of whic',
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 a series Of intercommunicating
chambers through which a person may
walk for hours without retracing his
steps. 1t is In such places that innu-
merable hosts Of these peculiar ami
mails may be found. and 1t Is no exag-
zerntion to estimate their numbers inl
q single large cave as 10000 or 5000
individuals.
WHICH, q RCtSOu CutCAS 0uCu a SoVC
and disturbs the inmates a scene Of
Wild confusion ensues, In which a YER
table whirlwind Of flying forms may
deluRe the intruder and rush about |
through every part Of the cave. To one |
to whom q bat IL repulsive and dia- |
bolicnl creature such an intimacy
would be highly distasteful. but to enc
who understands the bat II Il 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 II perfectly I
noiseless. in such chambers In which
thousands Of individuals are flying
Wildly about the noise Of their wings
sounds like great wind storm.
n the ewes are tkeat piles Of
suano deposited By the bats. These
dsnosits sometimes ars 10 or 20 fest
tAick and are valuable ~ fertilizer; Il
g used By natives On fields. In good
eve many tons may b taken out
without exhausting the supply. There
are species Of bats, such n the fruit
eatine. which ars not - useful % man.
0ome Of the larger bats belong % this |
eroup. They come out u thsar homes
q hour before dark and ~ about fruit |
trses, searching for ripe ffuit They
- 1 sreat varisty u fruits depend
- On the season and LEGALITY. They
- bananas, 'nasebefr1eG. sweetsoN |
r1ue coffee berries. rceeapples an |
many other varieties.
Fjel. Hating oal L
II the fruit b snan they cut Il
,~ - .~~v vleh n Int n n r