170 BATS 



strong and disagreeable. Clearly, like the scent-gland of 

 the skunk, it is for defence. 



The most wonderful feature of the Naked Bat is yet to 

 be noticed. On seeing this species for the first time, one's 

 first thought is, how do the young bats cling to the parents 

 during flight? 



Nature, ever wise and provident, has answered this ques- 

 tion by placing under each arm of this bat a deep, wide pocket 

 of rubber-like skin, in which the ,young are carried until they 

 are able to fly! The mouth of this pocket is on a line between 

 the elbow and the knee, and it extends upward and back- 

 ward, over the entire shoulder, quite to the back-bone, where 

 the two sacs are separated by a thin partition of skin. The 

 pouch is 1M inches deep, and in its lower portion, against 

 the ribs, is located the mammary gland. On the whole, this 

 is the most wonderful infant-pouch possessed by any living 

 creature, not even excepting that of the marsupials, which is 

 much more simple. 



My largest specimen of this bat had a head-and-body 

 length of 5^ inches, tail 2 inches long, and a wing expanse 

 of 22 inches. In the skin were many curious folds. The 

 face of the Naked Bat is coarse and ugly, and the body is 

 quite devoid of grace and beauty; but ere one has time to 

 scoff at such homeliness, the creature seems to say, "Study 

 me; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!" 



This bat lives upon fruit and vegetation, and nests in 

 hollow trees, rock crevices, or in holes in the earth. The 

 illustration on page 157 was drawn from one of my Bornean 

 specimens. 



