OEDEE OF CHEIEOPTEEA. 



The Cheiroptera are those singular animals commonly desig- 

 nated by the name of Bats. For a long time, and even nowa- 

 days, people have entertained the most erroneous ideas with 

 regard to these odd creatures. Aristotle defined them as Birds 

 with wings of skin. After him Pliny, Aldrovandus, and Scaliger, 

 fell into the same error. The Bats, however, have no other 

 resemblance to Birds than being able to fly. 



At last, after many centuries, the different characters that fix 

 the rank of these animals in the scale of created beings are known 

 even to the minutest details, removing all doubts of their not 

 belonging to the Mammalia. 



The altogether peculiar conformation of their anterior limbs, 

 and the transformation of their hands into wings, constitute 

 for them a character which is perfectly distinctive from other 

 Mammalia. Their scientific denomination also marks this special 

 organic disposition. The word Cheiroptera signifies " winged 

 hand," or "hand transformed into a wing" (x^'P, hand, impov^ 

 wing). The Cheiroptera are, therefore, Mammals with "winged 

 hands." 



How has nature formed this type ? All the fingers of the 

 hand, with the exception of the thumb, which is short, has 

 a nail, and is quite free, are immoderately long, and united 

 by means of a transparent membrane, which is without hair. 

 This membrane covers also the arm and fore- arm, and is nothing 

 else than a prolongation of the skin of the flanks. It is composed 

 of two very thin layers, one a continuation of the integuments 

 of the back, the other that of the abdomen. It also extends 

 between the posterior limbs, where it is more or less developed, 

 according to the species, and there takes the name of the inter- 



