BAT KIND. 233 



not consider that they wanted every character of 

 that order of animals, except the power of flying. 

 Indeed, when this animal is seen with an awk- 

 ward and struggling motion, supporting itself in 

 the air at the dusk of the evening, it presents in 

 some measure the appearance of a bird ; but na- 

 turalists, whose business it is to examine it more 

 closely, to watch its habitudes, and inspect into 

 its formation, are inexcusable for concurring in 

 the mistake. 



The bat in scarcely any particular resembles 

 the bird, except in its power of sustaining itself 

 in the air. It brings forth its young alive; it 

 suckles them ; its mouth is furnished with teeth ; 

 its lungs are formed like those of quadrupeds ; its 

 intestines, and its skeleton, have a complete re- 

 semblance, and even are, in some measure, seen 

 to resemble those of mankind.* 



The bat most common in England, is about 

 the size of a mouse ; or nearly two inches and a 

 half long. The membranes that are usually 

 called wings, are, properly speaking, an exten- 

 sion of the skin all round the body, except the 

 head, which, when the animal flies, is kept stretch- 

 ed on every side by the four interior toes of the 

 fore-feet, which are enormously long, and serve 

 like masts that keep the canvass of a sail spread, 

 and regulate its motions, t The first toe is quite 

 loose, and serves as a heel when the bat walks, 

 or as a hook, when it would adhere to any thing. 

 The hind-feet are disengaged from the surround- 



* Penis propciidens. f British Zoology. 



