FLESH FOOD FROM MAMMALS. 57 



receive some compensation for the destruction of their 

 canes and provisions by this troublesome mammal. 



The flesh of the red fronted lemur (Lemur rufifrons) of 

 Madagascar, is said to be as good as that of the hare, and 

 the flesh of a large bat in the same island is very deli- 

 cate eating. 



Bats as Food. — We come next to the bats, the finger- 

 winged animals, some of which are preferred to the finest 

 game by the natives of the Eastern Archipelago, their flesh 

 being compared to that of hare or partridge in flavour. 

 The large flying lemur {Galeopithecus mlam), though it 

 diffuses a rank, disagreeable odour, is eaten. Yet bats 

 must be palatable, since one species has been specially 

 named by naturalists " the eatable " {Pteropus edulis). 

 Its flesh is stated to be white, delicate and remarkably 

 tender, and hence considered a dainty. The common 

 Indian fruit bat, or flying fox {Pteropus medius) of 

 Ceylon is eaten ; but unless great care is taken in skin- 

 ning them their flesh is said to acquire a musky and 

 unpleasant odour, which is a matter of some importance, 

 as the larger species constitute a favourite article of 

 food in the countries which they inhabit. It is a great 

 stretch of fancy, however, to imagine a frightful animal 

 like a weasel, with extended leathery wings of about 

 two feet each, being served up at table. 



Dr. Leichardt found the fruit bat in Australia {Pteropm 

 Gouldii) an excellent article of food. After it had fed 

 upon the flowers of the so-called tea-tree it was un- 

 usually fat and delicate. 



Dr. Oxley, speaking of the kalong (Pteropus Javanicm) 

 says, " Their flesh is eaten by the natives, but no real 

 fox smells, to my mind, so rank as they do. Methinks a 

 rat would be palatable food compared with these." 



The Mosaic prohibition of the bat as an article of food 

 to the Jews, no doubt related to a species of Cynonycteris, 

 which may have been commonly eaten in Egypt or in 

 Syria. 



Inseetivora. — Turning from the Cheiroptera to the In- 

 sectivora, we find a few animals here applied as food for 



