150 . CLASS MAMMALIA. 



united by its basis to the opposite conch, and in the rest of 

 its length, it approaches the other ear so closely, that at a 

 front-view, it is impossible to perceive any of the back part 

 of the head, and there appears to be nothing but muzzle. 

 The same organ, on its other side, extends below, as far as 

 the edges of the jaws, so that the eye is actually enclosed 

 by it, and from its internal basis springs a lobe or second 

 ear, in the form of an elongated leaf, which is entirely free, 

 and seems destined to augment, if not, the sensibility of 

 hearing, at least, the effect of sounds upon the auricular 

 nerves. 



As to its wings, #c, it is unnecessary to go into any de- 

 tails. The membrane of the flanks, also, includes the tibia, 

 and extends from thence to the extremity of the tail, which 

 is nearly one-third of the length of the whole body, so that 

 when the animal extends its arms and hands, and its hind- 

 legs horizontally, and erects its tail, it has not only wings, 

 but a large parachute, which contributes not less than the 

 wings, to diminish the specific gravity of its body. It is 

 not easy to conceive why the men who have attempted to 

 fly, and who have often paid so dearly for their folly, did 

 not endeavour to construct their apparatus for flying after 

 the model of the bats, than after that of the birds. There 

 are certainly many more relations existing between man 

 and the cheiroptera, than between him and the feathered 

 race. 



The specific rank of the Barbastelle was first established 

 byDaubenton; before his time, it had been confounded 

 with the other bats. Buffon's figure of this animal is 

 pretty good, but the fingers are not long enough. 



The Serotine ( V. Serotinus) is another vespertilio of Eu- 

 rope, discovered, described, and named by Daubenton. It 

 is found abundantly in Paris and its environs. The hollow 

 trees, in the Bois de Boulogne, enclose them in vast num- 

 bers. Its magnitude is the same with that of the murinus. 



