t. The hawk was now quite low, and the
boys could hear the hens screaming and running about. At last Thomas
reached the barn fence, and his brother told him to fire. But he could
not take aim, because the hawk was partly hidden by the corner of the
barn. "I am afraid he'll get that little chicken," said Samuel. "See if
you can take aim now," whispered John. The hawk now made a sweep at one
of the chickens; but it ran under the barn, and the hawk flew up a
little higher. Just then, Thomas fired. The hawk came down head
foremost, and Thomas threw away his gun, and sprang over the wall. John
and Samuel jumped after him, shouting as loud as they could. In a few
moments the hawk was dead. It was the largest one that either of them
had ever seen. When they reached the house, Mr. Harvey was waiting for
them; and on seeing so large a hawk, promised to have it stuffed for
them. The gun was then hung up in its place.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VII.

ABOUT BATS.

This evening, while the boys were reading and talking to Mr. Harvey,
several bats flew in at the window. John caught one of them in his hat,
and placed it on the table for his cousin to examine. Samuel asked his
uncle if it would not fly away.

"No," said Mr. Harvey, "it cannot raise itself from the ground. What we
call its wings, are, you see, nothing but two thin skins, or membranes,
stretched from its hind legs to its fore ones, and fastened to its
sides. When flying, it spreads out its toes, so as to unfold these
membranes, and thus balances itself in the air."

"Do not some people think that the bat is a bird?" asked Samuel.

"Yes. But probably they never examined a bat closely. You see that it
looks nothing at all like a bird."

"Father," said John, "where did those great bats come from, which you
have in your cabinet?"

"From the island of Java," said Mr. Harvey. "They are called Java bats.
I have seen some with bodies as large as hens, and wings like umbrellas.
Hundreds of these animals fly about the gardens and orchards of that
island, every night, destroying great quantities of fruit. The people
there, spread nets over the trees, to protect the fruit, and shoot the
bats with guns, as you did the hawk."

"I have read, in a book of travels," said Samuel, "that while persons
are asleep, these bats, or some other large kind, suck their blood. Is
that true, sir?"

"No," said Mr. Harvey. "Such tales were long believed, even by writers
on natural h