50 



Criarfuvg of $;itwal ^ 



to all who looked upon it. The animal now- 

 recognised by the name of Basilisk is a spe- 

 cies of lizard, of a very singular shape, being 

 distinguished by a long and broad wing-like 

 process or expansion along the back and 

 upper part of the tail, and furnished at cer- 

 tain distances with interval radii analogous 

 to those in the wings of the draco, or flying 

 lizard. This process is capable of being 

 either dilated or contracted at the pleasure 

 of the animal ; and the occiput or hind part 

 of the head is elevated into a very conspicu- 

 ous pointed hood or hollow crest. Notwith- 

 standing its formidable appearance, how- 

 ever, the Basilisk is a perfectly harmless 

 reptile, residing principally among trees, 

 where it feeds on insects, &c. The general 

 colour of this animal is a pale cinereous 

 brown, slightly varied on the back and sides 

 with different shades of brown and blue, 

 and silvery white on the belly. It is pos- 

 sessed of great activity, and from its peculiar 

 structure can adapt itself to the watery ele- 

 ment without inconvenience. It is most 

 common in the tropical parts of South Ame- 

 rica. 



BATS. (Cheiroptera.-) The singular ani- 

 mals which come under this denomination 

 were long considered as partaking so much 

 of the character of birds with that of 

 quadrupeds, that it was thought difficult 

 to assign to them a distinct station in the 

 system of nature. Such doubts, however, 

 have long since yielded to scientific in- 

 vestigation ; their anatomical and intes- 



tinal structure, their viviparous nature, 

 their hair, &c., entitling them to be ranked 

 as quadrupeds. Still it is not to be denied 

 that their peculiar conformation is admira- 

 bly calculated for the exercise of consider- 

 able powers of flight. The air, indeed, is 

 their home : through this they move with 

 vast rapidity, and with great apparent ease, 

 wheeling in every direction in search of their 

 insect prey, and performing the most abrupt 

 evolutions to secure it. A remark, indeed, 

 not less true than trite, has been often made 

 that, in their mode of flight, Bats bear a very 

 strong resemblance to swallows ; exercising 

 the same purpose in the economy of nature, 

 in restraining the multiplication of the cre- 

 puscular and nocturnal insects, as the swal- 

 lows do in regard to the diurnal. 



Their senses of smell, feeling, and hearing 

 are wonderfully acute. In many genera the 

 nose is furnished with a membranous folia- 

 tion of most delicate structure, by which 



the sense of smelling is greatly refined ; the 

 ears also are in many kinds expanded and 

 capable of being folded down ; while their 

 ample wings, and the membranous tissues of 

 the ear and nose, are so abundantly supplied 

 with nerves, as to enable them, even should 

 they be deprived of sight, to pursue unin- 

 terruptedly their aerial course, avoiding every 

 obstacle, and passing adroitly through the 

 narrowest apertures. 



On the approach of cold weather the Bat 

 hibernates, and in preparing for this state of 

 lifeless inactivity, it seems rather to select a 

 place where it may remain safe from moles- 

 tation, than where it may be commodiously 

 lodged. " The hibernation of these animals, 

 says Mr. Bell, " is indeed one of the most 

 interesting points in their economy. At an 

 earlier or later period of autumn, according 

 to the species, they retreat, generally in large 

 congregations of various species together, to 

 the most retired places ; as under the roofs 

 of houses and churches, in caverns, in the 

 hollows of trees, and similar situations, 

 where they suspend themselves by their 

 hinder claws, with the head downwards. 

 Here they crowd together, holding not only 

 by the surface of the walls of their retreat, 

 but by each other, one crowding over another 

 so closely that it appears scarcely possible 

 for such numbers to occupy so small a 

 space." 



Not less than twenty species of Bats are 

 enumerated as known in Great Britain ; but 

 these, although differing from each other, 

 either in structure, colour, or habits, can 

 hardly be deemed of sufficient importance 

 to occupy the space that would be necessary 

 to describe them minutely ; we shall there- 

 fore merely refer to a few of them in the 

 briefest manner possible, and in another 

 place narrate a few particulars relating to 

 two foreign species of a more formidable 

 character. 



The COMMON BAT, or FLITTER- 



MOUSE. ( Vespertilio pipistreUits.') There 

 are several species known in England, but 

 this is the most common. It is nearly two 

 inches and a half long, or about the size of a 

 mouse. The members usually called wings, 

 are merely the four interior toes of the fore- 

 feet extended to an enormous length, and 

 connected by a thin membrane, reaching 

 also to the hind legs, and from them to the 

 tail : the body is covered with short fur, of 

 a mouse-colour, tinged with red ; and the 

 membranes are of a deep dusky hue ; the 

 eyes are small, and the ears exactly resemble 

 those of the mouse. This species of Bat 

 makes its appearance in the twilight of fine 

 summer evenings, frequenting the sides of 

 woods, glades, and shady walks, or skimming 

 along the surface of tranquil rivers, where 

 moths, gnats, and other nocturnal insects 

 are most readily to be found ; but if the 

 weather be not fine, it remains shut up in 

 the chinks or fissures of crumbling masonry, 

 or lies concealed in the friendly recesses of 

 some hollow tree. 



The BARBASTELLE BAT. (Fwpcr- 

 tilio barbastellus.) This species was origin- 

 ally described by Daubenton, in 1759, but 



