CHAPTER III. 

 THE TRUE BATS. 



THE COMMON BAT — THE TAPHOZOUS — THE PIPISTRELLE— THE BARBASTELLB — THE NEW YORK 

 BAT — THE CAROLINA BAT — THE HOARY BAT — THE CALIFORNIA BAT — THE GREAT BAT OF 

 BRITAIN — THE SHORT-EARED BAT — THE LONG-EARED BAT — THE BIG-EARED BAT — THE NOC- 

 TILIONID.E — THE GENUS NYCTICEIUS — THE GENUS NYCTINOMUS — THE GENUS NOCTILIO. 



OF the numerous recognized species of bats, nearly two hun- 

 dred belong to this family, the Vespertilionid^. They are 

 placed under eighteen genera, all agreeing in the following 

 characteristics : the nose is simple, with leafy appendages, the ear has 

 always a tragus or cover, the pointed molar teeth have an edge some- 

 what in the shape of a W, The dental arrangements are very varied, 

 and on them the division into genera is founded. The incisors, which 

 are pointed, are two, four, six, or more in the upper jaw ; usually four, 

 rarely six, exceptionally two, in the lower. The canines and false molars 

 vary from one to three above, and from two to three below, while the 

 molars are three on each side. Thus the number of teeth varies from 

 twenty-eight to thirty-eight. 



Equally various are the sizes of these bats. Some measure five inches 

 in the body and two feet across the wings ; others attain only a length 

 of one inch and a half and seven inches of wing-spread. They are most 

 numerous in America, but are found everywhere outside of the polar 

 circles. They prefer to live in trees, on the branches, rather than in 

 holes or caverns. Some live in large bands, some are solitary, or at most 

 form very small societies. They live almost exclusively on insects., at 

 times on small animals, but it is not ascertained whether any of them eat 

 fruit. They may be described with justice as the most useful of the 

 Mammalia. Their flight is abrupt and full of sudden turns, thus baffling 

 birds of prey. They climb and run very well ; their sense of hearing 

 is highly developed. We will notice only the principal genera of this 

 family. 



i8 



