We were charmed by this advice from educator Marcius Willson’s The School and Family Primer, published in 1860 as an introductory text to his series of four readers for children. It sounds very much like the advice we give to our researchers on a daily basis. (Click on the image to view a larger version.)
(We’re also agog at the two pictures chosen to illustrate the letter “B.” Confronted by such a gigantic bat, the boy’s nonchalance is decidedly impressive.)
That is a really really big bat. I would bolt upon seeing that bat, bearing straight for bed.
Is it speciesist to assume it's the bat that's out of proportion? Perhaps it's a very small boy.