Order 3. 



CAKNARIA. 



55 



THE FIRST FAMILY OF CARNARIA,— 



CHEIROPTERA,- 



Preserves some affinities with the Quadrumana by the pendulous penis*, and mammEe whicii 

 are placed on the breast. Then- distinctive character consists in a fold of the skin, which, 

 C'omniencnig at the sides of the neck, extends between their four feet and their fingers, sustains 

 them in the air, and even enables such of them to fly as have the hands sufficiently developed 

 for that purpose.f This disposition required strong clavicles, and large scapulars, to impart 

 the requisite solidity to the shoulder ; but it was incompatible with the rotation of the fore- 

 arm, whicli would have diminished the force of the stroke necessary for flight. These animals 

 have all four large canines, but the number of their incisors varies. Tbey have long been 

 distributed into two genera, according to the extent of their organs of flight % [sustaining 

 membrane] ; but the first requires numerous subdivisions. 



The Bats (Fes/jerh'Zio, Lin.) — 



Have the arms, fore-arms, and fingers excessively elongated, so as to form, with the 

 membrane that occupies their intervals, real wings, the surface of which is equally or 

 more extended than in those of Birds. Hence they fly very high, and with great rapidity. 



Their pectoral muscles have a thickness pro- 

 portioned to the movements Avhich they have 

 to execute, and the sternum possesses a 

 medial ridge to afford attachment to them, 

 as in Birds. The thumb is short, and fur- 

 nished mtli a crooked nail, by which these 

 animals creep and suspend themselves. Their 

 hinder jiarts are [generally] weak, and divided 

 into five toes, nearly always of equal length, 

 and armed with trenchant and sharp nails. 

 They have no cceciim to the intestine. Their 

 eyes [except in the frugivorous species] are 

 extremely small, but their ears are often very 

 large, and constitute with the wings an enor- 

 mous extent of membrane, almost naked, and 

 so sensible that the Bats guide themselves 

 through all the intricacies of their labyrinths, 

 even after their eyes have been removed, pro- 

 bably by the sole diversity of aerial impres- 

 sions. § They are nocturnal animals, which, in 

 During the day they suspend themselves in 



rig. 7.— Slicleton of Bat. 



our climates, pass the v.'inter in a torpid state. 



superduity, it being clear, spcaVinpf generally, that the consumed 

 must have pre-existed to the consun\er ; or, to embody the proposi- 

 tion in still more general terms, the conditions must have been first 

 jircscnt, iu especial reference to wliicli any species has been or- 

 ganized : in conformity with which tlicorem, it may be remarked, that, 

 however reciprocal, on a superficial view, may appear the relations of 

 the preycr and tlio prey, a little reflection on the observed facts 

 sutHecs to intimate that the relative adaptations of tlie former only 

 arc special, those of the latter being comparatively vague and general ; 

 indicating that there having been a superabundance which miglit 

 serve as nutriMii;;t, in the first instance, anil which, in many cases, 

 was unattainable by ordinary means, particular species have therefore 

 been so organized (that is to say, modified upon some more or less 

 general type or phui of structure,) to avail themselves of the supply ; 

 which special adaptation, however, does not necessarily prevent tlieni 

 'iu a vast proportion of casesl from also deriving nourisiimcnt from 



other sources. Hence, therefore, tne organization Khould be con 

 sidered as having reference to, rather tlian as occasioning tlie par- 

 ticular ha'oit. — Ed. 



* This organ, however, as in the Curnirorn, cortains a bone (though 

 only withiii llie glans,) witli its aceonipanyiiig pair of muscles.— Ed. 



t This character applies to all, with the exception of the ColUfeO 

 {^UnUapithcciis), a genus which lias little claim to range in this divi. 

 sion. — En. 



t Tliis term is inapplicable to tlie parachute membrane or the 

 Colugo. — Ed. 



§ I have reason to suspect that the delicate tact alluded to resides 

 principally in the fiicial membrane, present in only some genera. A 

 specimen of Fesp. Natlercri, which I h.avc just been observing, (in 

 which restricted genus there is no dcveloitenient of membrane on the 

 face,) h.as sever.al times, in dying about the room, flapped against :» 

 glass case. — Ed. 



