BAT KIND, 23? 



pression, its extremely long fingers, extertd the 

 web like a membrane that lies between them ; 

 and this, which is extremely thin, serves to lift 

 the little body into the air : in this manner, by an 

 unceasing percussion, much swifter than that of 

 birds, the animal continues, and directs its flight; 

 however, the great labour required in flying soon 

 fatigues it ; for, unlike birds, which continue for 

 days together upon the wing, the bat is tired in 

 less than an hour, and then returns to its hole, 

 satisfied with its- supply, to enjoy the darkness of 

 its retreat. 



If we consider the bat as it is seen in our own 

 country, we shall find it a harmless, inoffensive 

 creature. It is true, that it now and then steals 

 into a larder, and, like a mouse, commits its 

 petty thefts upon the fattest parts of the bacon. 

 But this happens seldom ; the general tenor of its 

 industry is employed in pursuing insects that are 

 much more noxious to us than itself can possibly 

 be ; while its evening flight, and it's unsteady 

 wabbling motion, amuse the imagination, and add 

 one figure more to the pleasing group of animated 

 nature. 



The varieties of this animal, especially in our 

 country, are but few, and the differences scarce- 

 ly worth enumeration. Naturalists mention the 

 Long-eared Bat, much less than that generally 

 seen, and with much longer ears ; the Horse-shoe 

 Bat, with an odd protuberance round its upper lip, 

 somewhat in the form of a horse-shoe ; the Rhino- 

 ceros Bat, with a horn growing from the nose, 

 somewhat similar to that animal from whence it 



