One cold spring morning a lady with a sympathetic heart--a true Christian lady I should judge, since she loved all things "both great and small"--saw a boy tossing in the air a little animal which she took to be a Mouse. Even so insignificant a creature should not be needlessly tortured, so she went at once to its rescue. Instead of a Mouse she found it to be a Bat, half-dead from cold and fright. With tender hands she placed it upon some cotton in the bottom of a basket and set it near the fire. Many times she peeped into the basket and was at length delighted to see the little creature hanging bat-fashion on the side of the basket, its keen, bright eyes watching every movement. One of its feet she found was crushed. With trembling hands she severed the bit of skin by which it hung, and applied some healing salve to the wound. The poor little creature suffered too much to taste food, but after a few days accepted a Fly from her hands, then a bit of meat, after which it folded its wings to signify it had enough. The Bat at length became as tame as a Mouse and would hang itself to any convenient portion of its mistress' dress; would eat whatever of animal food she gave it, and lick milk off her fingers. At night it would settle upon her hair, but never went near other members of the family; would fly about the room, and go out of the window in search of insects, returning in a couple of hours, and if the window was closed hang to the window-sill, or to the sash, until admitted. Thus it lived for two years, a happy, contented Bat, till one night it flew out and never returned--a prey probably to some White Owls who for years had made their home in an old belfry near by. [Illustration: From col. Chi. Acad. Sciences. BROWN AND RED BAT. 3/4 Life-size. Copyright by Nature Study Pub. Co., 1898, Chicago.] RED AND BLACK BATS. Over the houses, in the windows, fluttering everywhere, Like Butterflies gigantic, the Bats dive through the air; Up and down, hither, thither, round your head and away, Look where they wander, coming ever with vanishing day. C. C. M. Bats are so much alike, especially those common to this country, of which there are numerous species known to naturalists, that the description of one will serve for all, with the exception of the Vampire.