494 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



They are insectivorous, like most of their order, and none of 

 them seem to indulge in the blood-sucking propensities of the 

 large American vampires. They chiefly inhabit the tropical 

 regions of Africa and Asia, and more particularly the Indian 

 Archipelago, but the Rhinolophus unihastatus ranges in Europe 

 as far as England. 



Numerous genera and species of tropical bats, distinguished 

 from each other by the formation of their teeth, lips, nostrils, 

 heads, wings, and tails, have already been classified by naturalists, 

 but many, no doubt, still live unknown in their gloomy retreats, 

 for who is able to follow them into the obscure nooks of the 

 forest, or into intricate caverns, and accurately to observe them 

 during their nocturnal rambles ? It may give an idea of their 

 vast numbers throughout the torrid zone, when we hear that in 

 Ceylon alone about sixteen species have been identified, and of 

 these, two varieties are peculiar to the island. Unlike the 

 sombre bats of the northern climates, the colours of some of 

 them are as brilliant as the plumage of a bird, bright yellow, 

 deep orange, or of a rich ferruginous brown, thus contradicting 

 the general belief which attires nocturnal animals in vestures 

 as dark as their pursuits. 



The torrid zone, which produces the largest bats, also gives 

 birth to the tiniest representatives of the order, such as the 

 minute Singhalese variety of Scotophilus CoroTnandelicus, 

 which is not much larger than the humble bee, and of a glossy 

 black colour. 'It is so familiar and gentle,' says Sir J. E. 

 Tennent, ' that it will alight on the cloth during dinner, and 

 manifests so little alarm that it seldom makes any effort to 

 escape before a wine-glass can be inverted to secure it.' 



Though incapable of a prolonged flight like the bats, several 

 other tropical quadrupeds have been provided with extensions 

 of the skin, which give them the power of supporting them- 

 selves for some time in the air, and of making prodigious 

 leaps. Thus, by means of an expansile furry membrane, 

 reaching from the fore-feet to the hind, the Flying Squirrels 

 (Pteromys) bound, or rather swiftly sail, to the distance of 

 twenty fathoms or more, and thus pass from one tree to another, 

 always directing their flight obliquely downwards. They very 

 rarely descend to the ground, and when taken or placed on it, 

 run or spring somewhat awkwardly with their tail elevated. 



