THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 3^ 



that the hard coating of the beetles is not very digestible, 

 especially when taken in such great quantities 



Shrews are something like mice in shape and in their 

 fur -so much so, that they have sometimes been called 

 the "shrew-mouse." A sort of musky smell proceeds 

 from their body, so that, although cats will kill, they do 

 not eat them ; but weasels, hawks, and owls are not so 

 particular. The shrew has a long, movable snout. In 

 fact, one of the family is called the " Elephant-shrew," 

 because its nose is elongated like the elephant's trunk in 

 miniature ; and 'another, called the " Desman," has his 

 nose longer still. 



Most of the Shrews frequent water or its neighbour- 

 hood ; and the Desman spends most of its time in or on 

 the banks of streams, and tunnels its home in the banks, 

 the entrance being under the water, so that it can escape 

 into it on the appearance of danger. 



CHEIROPTERA, OR HAND-WINGED 

 MAMMALIA. 



THE Cheiroptera* or Bat tribes are distinguished from 

 all other Mammalia by their power of flying. Their pro- 

 gression is, however, performed by an apparatus entirely 

 different from that of birds, consisting of a very thin mem- 

 brane spread over the entire body. The principal support 

 of this membrane 'is formed by the four fingers, which are 

 immensely elongated (see Fig. 43) ; and over these the 

 skin is stretched precisely as the silk is spread over the 

 ribs of an umbrella. The thumb stands out free, and is 

 terminated by a hooked claw. The hind legs and tail 

 serve to assist in keeping the flying-membrane spread 

 out ; the tail serving as a rudder. The breast-bone, like 



* Cheir, the hand ; pteron, a wing. 



