90 



SUBKINGDOM VERTEBBATA. 



cific gravity by blowing air beneath the cuticle through 

 openings in the cheek-pouches until the creature looks like 

 "a mere ball with head and limbs artificially attached." The 

 Great-eared Bat has ears nearly as long as its body, folding 

 them up when it sleeps. Their large development compen- 

 sates for the smallness of the eyes ; 

 the diminutive size of which has 

 given rise to the saying " Blind as a 

 bat." 



Fig. lUt. 



Fig. Ilt3. 



Afegaclermafrons, Great-eared bat. 



Vespertirw subulatus, Little brown bat. 



Fig. Ik5. 



Yespertilionidae. The Common Bats are found in every 

 part of the world. The Little Brown Bat frequents the 



haunts of man and 

 is especially service- 

 able by destroying 

 mosquitoes, while it 

 is said that it will 

 devour 40 flies at a 

 meal. With the 

 failure of food in 

 the fall, it hides 

 away to hibernate, 

 when its respiration 

 sinks from 200 to 30 

 per minute. 



Noctilionidae. 

 The Koctilios of 



Nocfilw leporlnus. Hare-lipped bat. South America are 



repulsive from their cleft upper lip. Some have the hinder 

 thumb placed at a distance from the rest of the toes and op- 

 posable to them, like the Quadrumana. 



