MAMMALS 



331 



Winged Mammals (Chiroptera) 



The ninged viammah have the anterior pair of limbs very 

 greatly modified to form organs of flight. The bones of the 

 fingers and hand are greatly elongated and covered with a 

 broad, leathery membrane. 



There are nearly four hundred and fifty species of this 

 order of mammals and they are found in various parts of 

 the world. The bats vary in size and appearance. The 

 largest species are found in tropical countries. 



Common bats. — The best-known members of this order 

 are the small or medium sized bats so common everywhere 

 in the United States (Fig. 21(j). Perhaps the little red bat 



Fig. 21fi. 



•Bat. 



and the small brown bat are the mo.st common species. The 

 fore limbs which constitute the wings, or organs of flight, 

 have the bones of the fingers and hand greatly elongated, 

 spread far apart, and covered by a leathery membrane, 

 which extends along the sides of the body to the hind legs. 

 Only four of the fingers are included in the wing. The 



