330 mammalia: chiroptera. — l. 



Yianjiing, head downward, by their hind claws. Most of them are 

 '.nsectivorous, a few in tropical regions feeding on fruits. About 

 400 species are known, chietly of small size. The order is very 

 sharply defined, but it has probably sprung from the same stock as 

 the Insectivora. (x*''P) hand ; nrtpov, wing.) 



a. Insectivorous; ears large; no leaf-like App«adage to snout; hairs with im- 

 bricated scales arranged in spirals. . . . VEsrEKTiLioNii>.«, I'JQ. 



Family CXC. VESPBRTILIONID^. (Thk Co^oion 



Bats.) 



Insectivorous Bats with the snout not appendaged, or merely with 

 two lateral excrescences; wing membranes ample; tail coni()letely 

 enclosed in the interfemoral membrane or only the last joint ex- 

 serted; fur of peculiar structure, each hair with a series of minute 

 ind)ricated scales arranged in spiral. The largest family of bats, 

 with about IC genera; especially abundant in temperate regions. 



a. Nostrils simple, at tip of snout; ears moderate; forehead not grooved. 

 b. Incisors §:§. 

 c. Teeth 38 ; muzzle narrow, hairy in front of eyes; ears as long as head; 



slender .species with thin wings and ears Myotis, 564. 



cc. Teeth 32 to 3G ; muzzle iie.nrly naked before eyes; ears shorter than 

 head; stout species with thick wings and ears. 



d. Teeth 36; molars ,1 Lasiontcteris, 565. 



dd. Teeth 34; molars § ririsTitELi.rs, 566. 



ddd. Teeth 32; molars J VEsrEunuo, 5G7. 



bb. Incisors J J. 



e. Teeth 30; upper incisors small; wings and interfemoral mem- 

 branes nearly naked Nyctickius, 568. 



ec. Teeth 32; upper incisors stout; interfemoral membranes hairy 

 above, the wings with furry patches. . . . Lasiuki's, 569. 

 aa. Nostril margined behind by grooves and glandular prominences; cheeks 

 with large excrescences; ears very large (au inch high); teeth 36. 



CoKY.NORHI>US, 570. 



564. MYOTIS Kaiij). {fj-vt, mouse ; oiJr, ear.) 



1089. M. subulatua (S.ay). Littlk Buown Bat. Face small, 

 fox-like, with hi;;h fcirehead and pointed snout; ears larpje, slender, 

 nearly twice the height of the erect tra<^us; ears reaching l)eyond 

 nostril when laid forward; winjs naked; interfemoral mcml)rane 

 naked except at base; face whiskere<l ; color dull olive-brown. 

 L. 3. E. 9. T. IJ. E. X. Am., abundant everywhere; very 

 variable. (Lat., awl-shaped.) 



1090. M. lucifugus (Le Conte). Ear and traprus short nnd 

 broad, the ears reaching nostril when laid forward. L. 3\. Color 

 glossy dull brown. E. N. Am., common. (Lat., shunning light.) 



