CARNARIA. 



G7 



THE FIRST FAMILY OF CARNARIA,— 



CHEIROPTERA — 



Preserves some affinities with the Quadrumana by the pendulous penis*, anil manimne wliich 

 are placed on the breast. Their distinctive character consists in a fold of the skin, which, 

 commencing at the sides of the neck, extends between their four feet and their fingers, sustauis 

 them in the au-, and even enables such of them to fly as have the hands sufficiently developed 

 for that purpose.f This disposition required strong clavicles, and large scapulars, to impart 

 the requisite solidity to the shoulder ; but it was incompatible with the rotation of the fore- 

 arm, which would have diminished the force of the stroke necessary for flight. These animals 

 have all four large canines, but the number of their incisors varies. They have long been 

 distributed into two genera, according to the extent of their organs of flight J [sustaining 

 memlirane] ; but the first requires numerous subdivisions. 



The Bats {VespertiliojlAn.) — 

 Have the arms, fore-arms, and fingers excessively elongated, so as to form, with the 

 membrane that occupies their intervals, real wings, the surface of which is equally or 

 more extended than in those of Bii'ds. Hence they fly very high, and with great rapiditj. 



Their pectoral muscles have a thickness pro- 

 portioned to the movements which they have 

 to execute, and the sternum possesses a 

 medial ridge to afford attachment to them, 

 as in Birds. The thumb is short, and fur- 

 nished with a crooked nail, by which these 

 animals creep and suspend themselves. Tiieir 

 hinder parts are [generally] weak, and divided 

 into five toes, nearly always of equal length, 

 and armed with trenchant and sharp nails. 

 They have no coecum to the intestine. Their 

 eyes [except in the frugivorous species] are 

 extremely small, but their ears are often ver}' 

 large, aixl constitute with the wings an enor- 

 mous extent of membrane, almost naked, and 

 so sensible that the Bats guide themselves 

 through all the intricacies of their labyrinths, 

 even after their eyes have been removed, pro- 

 bably by the sole diversity of aerial imjjres- 

 sions.§ They are nocturnal animals, whicli, in 

 During the day they suspend themselves in 



other suurccs. Hence, therefore, the organization should be con 

 sidered as having reference to, rather than as occasioning the pur- 

 ticuiar habit. — Ed. 



* This organ, liowcvor, as in the Curnivora^ cortains a bone (though 

 only within the glans,] with its accompanying pair of muscles. — Ed. 



t Tliis character applies to all, with the exception of the Colugo 

 (Oalaopit/tecua), a genus whicli has little claim to range in this divi- 

 sion.— Ed. 



J This term is inapplicable to the parnr'nlf membrane of the 

 Colugo.— Ed. 



§ I hare reason to suspect that the delicate tact alluded to resides 

 principally in the feci'il membrane, present in only some genera. A 

 specimen of resp. Natlcreri, wliich I have just been observing, (in 

 which restricted genus there is no devetopenient of incnihrane on the 

 face,) has several times, in flying about the room, (lapped against a 

 glass case.— Ed. 



F 2 



Fig. 7.— Slicleton of Bat. 



our climates, pass the winter in a torpid state. 



superfluity, it being clear, spcal^ing generally, that the consumed 

 must have pre-existed to the consumer ; or, to embody the proposi- 

 tion in still more general terms, the conditions must have been first 

 present, in especial reference to which any species has been or- 

 ganized : in conformity with which theorem, it may be remarked, that, 

 however reciprocal, on a superficial view, may appear the relations of 

 the preyer and the prey, a little reflection on the observed facts 

 suffices to intimate that the relative adaptations of the former only 

 arc special, those of the latter being comparatively vague and general ; 

 indicating that there having been a superabundance which might 

 serve as nutriment, in the first instance, and which, in many cases, 

 was unattainable by ordinary means, particular species have therefore | 

 been so organized (that is to say, modified upon some more or less 

 general iypc or plan of structure,) to avail themselves of the supply ; 

 which special adaptation, however, does not necessarily prevent theiii 

 'in a vast proportion of cases^ from also deriving nourishment from 



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