Not all sounds made by animals serve as language, and we have only to turn to that extraordinary discovery of echolocation (回声定位) in bats to see a case in which the voice plays a strictly practical role. To get a full appreciation of what this means we must turn first to some recent human inventions. Everyoneknows that if he shouts near a wall or a mountainside, an echo will come back. The further off this solid obstacle, the longer time it will take for the return of the echo. A sound made by tapping on the main body of a ship will be reflected from the sea bottom, and by measuring the time interval between the taps andthe receipt of the echoes the depth of the sea at that point can be calculated. So was born the echo-sounding equipment, now in general use in ships. Every solid object will reflect a sound, varying according to the size and nature of the object. A shoal of fish will do this. So it is a comparatively step fromlocating the sea bottom to locating a shoal of fish. With experience, and with improved equipment, it is now possible not only to locate fish but to tell if it is herring, cod, or other well-known fish, by the pattern of its echo. A few years ago it was found that certain bats emit squeaks (吱吱声) and by receiving 'he echoes they could locate and steer clear of obstacles--or locate flying insects on which they feed. This echolocation in bats is often compared with radar, the principle of which is similar.