554 CHEIEOPTEEA. 4 



whereby these animals suspend themselves from any 

 foreign object, or creep upon the surface of the 

 ground. Their hind feet are extremely small. 

 Their ears are often remarkably spread out, so as to 

 form, in conjunction with their wings, an enormous 

 extent of surface, which is so sensitive, that the 

 Bats can direct themselves into all the nooks of 

 the gloomy labyrinths in which they reside, pro- 

 bably by feeling the impulses of the external air. 

 They are nocturnal animals, and in our climate 

 pass the winter in a state of lethargy. During 

 the day they remain suspended in their dark re- 

 treats. They generally have two little ones at a 

 birth, which they hold to their breast by means of 

 their wing-like arms. 



The Bats are divided into several families, some of 

 which live upon fruits ; such are 



The Fox-bats (Pteropus *), common in the south of India, Japan, 

 Madagascar, and Australia. They congregate in flocks, and select- 

 ing a large tree for their resting-place, suspend themselves by the 

 claws of their hind limbs from the naked branches. They thus pass 

 the greater portion of the day in sleep ; but soon after sunset begin 

 their nocturnal flight in search of food, directing their course to the 

 forests, villages, and plantations, where they do great damage by 

 devouring indiscriminately every kind of fruit ; their flight is slow 

 and steady, pursued in a straight line, and of long continuance. 



The Spear-nosed Bats (Phyllostoma t ) are distinguished by having 

 a membrane, like an up-turned leaf, crossing the end of their 

 noses. Their tongue is capable of great elongation, and ter- 

 minated by little elevations, which seem to be so arranged as to form 

 an organ of suction. All this tribe is American. They run on the 

 earth with greater facility than any other Bats, and are accustomed 

 to suck the blood of animals. To this tribe belongs 



The Vampire (Phyllostoma spectrum), which has been accused of 

 destroying even men. It is said generally to alight near the feet, 

 and fanning the victim with its enormous wings, to bite a piece out of 

 the tip of the great toe, so very small, that the head of a pin could 

 scarcely be received into the wound, yet through this orifice it 

 contrives to suck blood until gorged. It must not be imagined, 

 however, that the Vampires are exclusively nourished by the blood 

 of animals ; they live on insects, after the manner of other Bats, as 

 has been proved by inspection of the contents of their stomachs. 



The Horse-shoe Bats (Ehinolophus^.} have their nose furnished 



* TTTp6v, pteron, a wing ; TTOVS, pous, afoot wing-footed. 



t <(>v\\6v, phyllon, a leaf; (Trd/ua, stoma, a mouth leaf-mouthed. 



J piV, rhiu, the nose ; A<fy>os, lophos, a crest. 



