CHEIROPTERA 



-MAMMALIA. VESPERTILIOXID.E. 



stimulating arterial blood to the muscles and the brain 

 is progressively reduced, relaxation of the muscular 

 fibres is converted into stiff inaction, and sleep sinks 

 into stupor : at length respiration entirely ceases, and 

 with it those chemical changes in the capillary circu- 

 lation on which animal heat mainly depends. The 

 preservation of life in its passive or latent state is now 

 due to the irritable property of the heart's fibre, which 

 is excited to contract by the blood in its present dark 

 or carbonized state, and continues to propel it slowly 

 over the torpid frame during the whole period of 

 hybernation. This slow circulation of venous blood 

 through both the pulmonic and systemic vessels is the 

 only recognizable vital act during that period, and the 

 material conveyed by the absorbents into the circulat- 

 ing fluid is sufficient to counterbalance the slight waste 

 thus occasioned. So long, therefore, as the state of 

 torpidity continues, the bat is independent of supplies 

 from without ; but it purchases that independence by 

 a temporary abrogation of its vital faculties. Cold, 

 senseless, motionless, and asphyxiated, its entry into 

 death's chamber is prevented only by its being brought 

 to his very door." Such is the sacrifice which this 

 semicadaverous state involves, yet its super-induction 

 furnishes the means of warding off the otherwise inevi- 

 table consequence of death by starvation. On the 

 approach of summer the vital forces resume by degrees 

 their wonted functions, and the species again takes part 

 in the pleasures of active life. 



With all our boasted national intelligence, it is sur- 

 prising to how great an extent the minds of the people 

 are still imbued with childish superstitions. The 

 records of our police courts have recently demonstrated 

 the prevalent existence of this barbarous ignorance, in 

 a manner which ought to excite the deepest national 

 self-reproach. Even the harmless, playful, slender 

 little bat, as it innocently chases its lawful prey, is 

 foolishly dreaded as an ominous visitant; and when by 

 any chance an open window gives it entrance to some 

 airy dwelling, what consternation marks the counte 

 nances of its human occupants. Ah ! exclaims one, 

 there will soon be a death in this house. Yes! 

 replies another, it is a warning to prepare! Stupid 

 peasant, and yet still more senseless lady. Can you 

 not shake off such vain associations? What is there, 

 we ask, in these accidental domiciliary visitations to 

 occasion mystery, horror, or alarm? Let the simple 

 statement of these creatures' habits which we have 

 just given, invite you to admire and caress the beings 

 you have hitherto regarded with gloomiest forebodings. 



Bats are found in all quarters of the globe. There 

 is no considerable portion of the earth's surface which 

 cannot produce some members of the family; but, 

 as in quadrumana, certain generic types are common 

 to one country, while, on the other hand distinctive 

 peculiarities characterize those of another. In our 

 own islands, and in Europe, all the species are insecti- 

 vorous, and most of them belong to the great family of 

 VespertilionidcR, being unprovided with those peculiar 

 nasal leaf-like appendages formerly described. With 

 regard to the distribution of bats in time, our readers 

 will anticipate their recent origin in a geological point 

 of view. The few and fragmentary remains with 



which we are at present acquainted, have, for the most 

 part, been found in the pleistocene, or newest deposits 

 of the tertiary age. Some cheiropterous fossils found 

 in the old caves of Kent's Hole, near Torquay in 

 Devonshire, and in the Mendip hills of Somersetshire, 

 are clearly referable to existing species, while those 

 procured from the lower eocine formation at Kyson, 

 near Woodbridge in Suffolk, and those taken from the 

 Norfolk crag deposits, also belong to existing European 

 genera. The fossil forms found in America appear to 

 be connected with the comparatively recent pliocene 

 formation. Finally, it is worthy of remark, that no 

 remains of extinct Cheiroptera belonging to the fru- 

 givorous class are at present known. 



FAMILY I. VESPEKTILIONID^. 



The group of individuals associated under this head 

 do not exhibit foliaceous nasal appendages. They are 

 all insectivorous in their habits. They display ten 

 incisive or cutting teeth, namely, four in the upper, 

 and six in the lower jaw. There are, as usual, four 

 canines, but a variable number of molars or grinding 

 teeth. The ears are not remarkably conspicuous, 

 that is to say, very seldom longer than the head, and 

 they are disconnected at the lower part. The fingers 

 are unprovided with claws. The tail is generally a 

 little exserted beyond the investing interfemoral mem- 

 brane. 



THE PIPISTBELLE (Vesper tilio pipistrellus). On 

 the authority of the Rev. Leonard Jenyns and Professor 

 Thomas Bell, we are entitled to consider this species as 

 the common bat of Britain, par excellence. Some time 

 ago, these gentlemen took considerable pains to show, 

 and they moreover conclusively established the fact, 

 that the form of bat invariably described in the older 

 British natural history works as the common bat of our 

 country, although extremely abundant in continental 

 Europe, was in reality referable to a species, indigen- 

 ous indeed, yet comparatively rare in this country. The 

 bat here spoken of as scarce, is the mouse-coloured 

 vespertilio. The pipistrelle is a diminutive creature, 

 and is only an inch and a half in length when full- 

 grown. Its ears have an oval-triangular form, and are 

 about two-thirds longer than the head, being cleft at 

 the outer margin. In a state of repose it is commonly 

 detected in the crevices and fissures of old brick walls, 

 and especially in all kinds of recesses connected with 

 human habitations. Gnats and other members of the 

 dipterous class seem to constitute its favourite food, 

 but it would be difficult to limit its choice in this par- 

 ticular. Mr. White, in his oft quoted " Natural History 

 of Selborne," gives an interesting account of the feeding 

 of a tame bat, which in all likelihood was an example 

 of the species we are now discussing. He says it was 

 wont to " take flies out of a person's hand ; if you 

 gave it anything to eat, it brought its wings round 

 before the mouth, hovering and hiding its head, in the 

 manner of birds of prey when they feed. The adroit- 

 ness it showed in shearing off the wings of flies, which 

 were always rejected, was worthy of observation, and 

 pleased me much. Insects seemed to be most accept- 

 able, though it did not refuse raw flesh when oflered ; 



