TION. 



Class I. COMMON BAT. 185 



bat in the air, can merit the name of flight. 

 No birds whatsoever are furnished with teeth, 

 or bring forth their young alive, and suckle 

 them : were other notes wanting, these would 

 be sufficient to determine that the bat is a quad- 

 ruped. 



The species now described, is the most com- Descrip- 

 mon : the usual length of it is about two inches 

 and a half ; the extent of the fore-legs nine inches. 

 The members that are usually called the 

 wings, are nothing more than the four interior 

 toes of the fore-feet, produced to a great length, 

 and connected by a thin membrane, which ex- 

 tends also to the hind legs, and from them to 

 the tail ; the first toe is quite loose, and serves 

 as a heel, when the bat walks ; or as a hook, 

 when it would adhere to any thing. The hind- 

 feet are disengaged from the membrane, and 

 divided into five toes, furnished with pretty 

 strong claws ; the membranes are of a dusky 

 color. The body is covered with short fur, 

 of a mouse-color, tinged with red. The eyes 

 are very small : the ears like those of the 

 mouse. 



This species of bat is very common in Eng- 

 land : it makes its first appearance early in the 

 summer, and begins its flight in the dusk of the 

 evening; it principally flrequents the sides of 



