MAMMIFEROUS ANIMALS. 325 



bute has been but imperfectly bestowed ; and 

 that, in every other particular, they have all the 

 distinguishing qualities of the otlur aniu a Is in 

 the same class, though very few that entitle them 

 to be placed in the order of Primates. 



The Bat is an inhabitant of every known por- 

 tion of the world, and is the only wild Mammi- 

 ferous animal that has been seen in the Pelew 

 Islands, excepting latterly, a few Hats of the Eu- 

 ropean species, which are supposed to have been 

 imported by vessels which have visited the Is- 

 lands from Europe, it varies in size fn.m the 

 smallest mouse to the full grown rabbit, and in- 

 creases in magnitude as the temperature advan- 

 ces, so that in the equatorial latitudes, it becomes 

 a very formidable animal. 



Of this genus, there are in all, thirty species, 

 of which, four are to be found in Great Britain, 

 namely, the short eared or common; the Jong 

 cared; the no c title, or great ; and the horse shoe 

 Bats. But it will sufficiently answer our pur- 

 poses of illustration, to notice only two ; the 

 common European Bat which is the smallest, 

 and the Vampyre or Spectre^ which may be con- 

 sidered one of the largest of the Bat tribes ; more 

 especially, as the leading observations we shall 

 have to offer upon these two species, will apply 

 to the whole genus. 



o 



The Short Eared, or Common European Bat, 

 which, when flying about our houses and barns, 



Y 3 



