CARNARIA. 



67 



THE FIRST FAMILY OF CARNARIA,— 



CHEIROPTERA,— 



Preserves some affinities with the Quadrumana by the pendulous penis*, and mararasE wliicli 

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

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

 them in the air, and even enables such of them to fly as have the hands sufficiently develojjed 

 for that purpose.t This disposition required strong clavicles, and large scajiulars, to impart 

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

 arm, winch 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 

 distnliuted into two genera, according to the extent of their organs of flight ;]; [sustaining 

 niemlirane] ; but the first requires numerous subdivisions. 



The Bats (F"es;jerh7io, Lin.) — 

 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 Birds. Hence they fly very high, and with great rapidity. 



Their pectoral muscles have a thickness pro- 

 portioned to the movements ivhich they have 

 to execute, and the sternum possesses a 

 medial ridge to afford attachment to them, 

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

 nished with a crooked nail, by wdiich these 

 animals creep and suspend themselves. Their 

 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 ccecum to the intestine. Their 

 eyes [except in the frugivorous speciesj are 

 extremely small, but their ears are often very 

 large, aiid 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 impres- 

 sions. § They are nocturnal animals, wdiich, in 

 During the day they suspend themselves in 



Fig. 7.— Skeleton of Bat. 



our climates, pass the winter in a torpid state. 



it)', It beinpf clear, speaking gene 

 ve pre-e\i.steij to ttie cuiisunier ; c 

 *tilt more general terms, 'lie condit 



in espeiial reference to wliicli 

 ; in cnnfonnilywitli \ehich tlicnrem 

 ■ reciprocal, on a snperficial view, a 

 y-er and tfie prey, a little retlcctii 



■ally, that the consumed i 

 r, to embody the pro|JOsi- ' 

 ons must have been first 

 iny species has been or 

 it may be remarked, that 

 .ay appear the relations o 

 n on the obsereed fact! 



other so 

 sidered t 



He 



Ihees to intimate that the re 

 e special, those of Ihc latter I 

 dic-itinjr that there having 

 rve as nutriment, in the firs 

 rs unattainable by ordinary rr 

 en so organized (that is to s 

 neral Ti/pp or plat 



tive adaptations of the former only 

 ng comparatively vague and general ; 

 en a superabundance which niigiit 

 instance, ami vhich, in many eases, 

 ns, particular species have therefore 

 , modified upon some more or less 

 ") li. avail themselves of the supply j 



the pa 



lehute 



■ of the 



lal adaptation, IioMcei 

 vast proportion of casesl fro. 



doei 



also dcri 



ily prevent them 

 uurisiuner.t from 



.'inir relereiK 

 ticuiar habit.— Ed. 



• This or^'an, liowever, a 

 only M'itlim the irlaiis,) wit 



t Tliis character applies 

 {G'ilLEtjp'illieLUs),a, genus 

 sion.— Kit. 



I This term is Inappliu 

 CoIui^o.-Ed. 



(f i have reason to suspect that the delicate tact alluded to resides 

 principally in the fuci'i! membrane, present in only some genera. A 

 specimen of f-'esp. Nalttreri, which I have just been ubserviiij;, (in 

 which restricted genus tliere is no developemenl of membrane on tlie 

 face,) has several times, in flying about the room. Happed agaliin a 

 glass case. — Ed. 



f2 



