THE BAT. 



THE common bat is about the size of a small mouse, 

 and measures nearly nine inches from the tip of one 

 wing to that of the other, when they are fully open. 

 The ears are short, and have a small inner valve. The 

 eyes are very small. The fur is of a reddish mouse 

 colour. The whole structure of the bat is admirably 

 adapted for flight. The fore part of its body, though 

 consisting essentially of the same parts as that of man, 

 has its different bones so modified as to afford the most 

 complete support to an extensive expansion of the skin, 

 which thus forms a perfect pair of wings. The differ- 

 ence principally consists in the extraordinary length- 

 ening of the fingers, on which the skin is stretched like 

 the silk on the rods of an umbrella. Of these fingers, 

 the thumb is the only one that is left free ; it is of mo- 

 derate length, and furnished with a hooked nail. The 

 hinder toes are short, of nearly equal length, and are 

 chiefly used as suspending organs, the bats hanging by 



