Science: The Friendly Bat

Naturalist Leonard Dubkin, who once wrote a nature column for the Chicago Tribune, is probably the only man who ever lost his heart to an albino bat. This esoteric affair, which took place in Chicago, is described in Dubkin's new book, The White Lady (Putnam; $3).

While hunting butterflies one afternoon, Dubkin explored a dense clump of trees near an outlying factory. One tree was so loaded with vines that it looked like a green igloo. He climbed to the top and fell through with a crash. The mound was hollow and dark inside, and full of squeaking bats. A great peace...