84 



FOOD 



The Cheiropteea, bats, resemble Insectivora which have 

 taken to the air. Many live on insects, but some of the 

 vampire bats suck blood, and as blood requires little digestion 

 their stomach is extremely simplified. The members of one 

 of the two sub-orders subsist entirely on fruit. One species 



Fig. 30. Russian Desman, Myogale moschata. 



of Xantharpyia lives in pyramids and tombs and is reproduced 

 often in old Egyptian frescoes. 



What we are accustomed to consider the highest order of 

 mammals, because it includes man, consists of animals which 

 are usually omnivorous. Chimpanzees, which are as a rule 

 fruit-feeding animals, ^\dll in captivity take readily to meat. 

 The gorilla feeds chiefly during the daytime on wild fruit, 

 but will readily drink milk. The long-armed gibbons take 

 readily to small birds, insects, spiders, and eggs, varying their 



