ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 13 



No authentic records have ever come before the writer's 

 notice, of the bat having been tamed ; they seldom live any 

 time in captivity, but will eat fearlessly and voraciously of 

 raw meat ; they invariably refuse the house-fly. There are a 

 number of American species, all agreeing very nearly in habits 

 and form, amongst which the following are mostly met with. 



V. NOVEBORACENSIS (New York Bat). This species is 

 common throughout the Northern part of the United States, 

 and not uncommon in Canada, its range extending between 

 the thirty-third and forty-second parallels of latitude. 



V. PRUINOSUS (Hoary Bat), of a grayish color, its hair' 

 being black, tipped with white, hence its name hoary. Not 

 common, and but little known of its habits ; its range exten- 

 t sive, but limits not known. 



V. SUBULATUS (Little Brown Bat). This species is subject 

 to great variation in size and color ; it is found all over the 

 continent as far as 53 North latitude. 



V. NOCTIVAGANS (Silver-haired Bat), color uniform black, 

 with a sort of collar composed of white or silver tipped hairs 

 surrounding the neck, and ascending the ears. Its history 

 very incomplete and range not known, but is said not to 

 extend north of Massachusetts. 



V. CAROLINENSIS (Carolina Bat), glossy chestnut color; 

 large size ; interfemoral membrane not enclosing tip of the 

 tail ; range said to be from Georgia to Connecticut. 



INSECTIVORA (INSECT-EATERS) is the next order, compris- 

 ing only the shrews and moles. 



Description. Body cylindrical; head tapering to a 

 pointed snout ; fore-limbs short, with large feet, terminated 

 with strong flat claws ; eyes very small, and covered with 

 fur ; ears merely small orifices ; fur soft like velvet. 



American Mole, or Shrew Mole (Scalops Aquaticus). 

 Great care must be taken to avoid confounding this animal 

 with its European namesake (talpa), of Cuvier, to which it is 

 very similar. 



