ANIMALS. SCO 



the power of Hying. Indeed, when this animal is seen with an 

 awiiward and struggling motion supporting itself in the air at 

 the dusk of the evening, it presents in some measure the ap- 

 pearance of a bird ; but naturalists, whose business it is to exa- 

 mine it more closely, to watch its habitudes, and inspect into its 

 formation, are inexcusable for concurring in the mistake. 



The bat in scarcely any particular resembles the bird, ex- 

 cept in its power of sustaining itself in the air. It brings forth 

 iis young alive; it suckles them; its mouth is furnished with 

 teeth ; its lungs are formed like those of quadrupeds ; its intes- 

 tines and its skeleton have a complete resemblance, and even 

 are, in some measure, seen to resemble those of mankind.' 



The bat most common in England, is about the size of a 

 mouse ; or nearly two inches and a half long. The membranes 

 that are usually called wings, are, properly speaking, an extension 

 of the skin all round the body, except the head, which, when the 

 animal flies, is kept stretched on every side by the four interior toes 

 of the fore feet, which are enormously long, and serve like masts 

 that keep the canvass of a sail spread, and regulate its motions.* 

 The first toe is quite loose, and serves as a heel when the bat 

 walks : or as a hook, when it would adhere to any thing. The 

 hind feet are disengaged from the surrounding skin, and divided 

 into five toes, somewhat resembling those of a mouse. The 

 skin by which it flies is of a dusky colour. The body is covered 

 with a short fur of a mouse colour, tinged with red. The eyes 

 are very small ; the ears like those of a mouse. 



This species of the bat is very common in England. It 

 makes its first appearance early in summer, and begins its flight 

 in the dusk of the evening. It principally frequents the sides 

 of woods, glades, and shady walks •, and is frequently observed 

 to skim along the surface of pieces of water. It pursues gnats, 

 moths, and nocturnal insects of every kind. It feeds upon these ; 

 but will not refuse meat whenever it can find it. Its flight is a 

 laborious irregular movement*, and if it happens to be interrupted 

 in its course it cannot readily prepare for a second elevation ; so that 

 if it strikes against any object, and falls to the groimd, it is usu- 

 ally taken.' It appears only in the most pleasant evenings, when 



1 Pfiiis proppiuious. 2 Britifcli Zoology, 



n ^11- VVliilc, in Ills nattuiil history of SoUMinii", Kiving an account of a 

 Uiiiic bat, says, " 1 saw it soveral timt'S coiiJutc tlio vulvar ojiiiiiou tliat'tat-i, 



