THE INSECTIVOROUS BATS 



from the Fruit Bats by their short, flattened, 

 wizened-looking faces and small eyes. A glance at 

 the teeth will at once settle the question, for the 

 molars or back teeth have sharp cusps or points on 

 their crowns or grinding surfaces. In the molars of 

 the upper jaw the points or cusps look like the letter 

 W. On the contrary, the cusps or crowns of the 

 molar teeth of Fruit Bats are smooth. On examining 

 the wing it will be found that the Insectivorous Bat 

 has a thumb, with a claw or nail on the end of it ; but 

 the index finger, which is the one next to the thumb, 

 has no claw at the end, as is usually the case with the 

 Fruit Bats. If this index finger in the wing mem- 

 brane has a claw at its termination, then you may be 

 quite sure the specimen is a Fruit Bat. 



The Insectivorous Bats of all species in South 

 Africa are of the greatest possible service to man. 

 Of his many species of animal friends these bats rank 

 with the most useful, for the services they render the 

 human race are considerable. Their diet consists 

 entirely of winged insects, which issue forth in vast 

 numbers during the early evening and night, and fly 

 into the air in quest of their mates. Simultaneously 

 with the insects taking wing, their foes, the Insect- 

 ivorous Bats, sally forth from their shelters in caves, 

 crannies, under the loose bark of trees, or the lofts 

 of houses, and for hours are busy capturing and 

 devouring insects on the wing. If an insectivorous 

 bird which devours caterpillars is considered a valu- 

 able ally of man, then the insect-eating bats may be 

 95 



