BATS. 43I 



war against them even in their own element, rivalling the very 

 swallows in their power of flight. 



The Bats have their arms, fore-arms, and fingers extremely 

 elongated, and connected together by a delicate fold of skin spread 

 over them, much in the same way that the silk of an umbrella is 

 stretched upon its frame, so that they form real wings, as broadly 

 expanded as those of birds. Accordingly, these creatures fly to 

 a considerable height with great rapidity and with apparent ease, 

 wheeling in every direction in search of their insect prey, and per- 

 forming the most abrupt evolutions to secure it. The muscles that 

 wield their wings are possessed of strength proportionate to the 

 movements they have to execute, and in the middle of the breast- 

 bone there is a ridge or keel like that of birds, so as to form a 

 larger surface for their attachment. The thumb is short, and armed 

 with a hooked nail, 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 remark- 

 ably 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, probably 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 retreats. 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 (Ptcropus)* common in the south of India, Japan, Mada- 

 gascar, and Australia. They congregate in flocks, and selecting 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-nosQd Bats (Phyllostomd)^ are distinguished by having a 

 membrane, like an upturned leaf, crossing the end of their noses. Their tongue 

 is capable of great elongation, and terminated 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 ground with greater facility than other bats, and are accus- 

 tomed to suck the blood of animals. To this tribe belongs 



* Trrephv, pteron, a -wing; irovs, pous, afoot: iving-footed. 



t <pv\\6v, phyllon, a leaf; orfyta, stoma, a mouth : leaf-mouthed. 



