332 MAMMALS 



fifth is free and forms a soi't of hook, or claw (Fi<;;. 230), 

 The membrane covering tlie fingers and forming the wing 

 is near!}' or quite devoid of hair. The bodies of bats are so 

 much like those of mice, in genei'al, that the Germans call 

 them " flitting mice." The eyes are small, hut the ears are 

 large, and the sense of touch is acute. The hind legs are 

 small and weak. 



The conuDon bats are nocturnal in habits. During the 

 day they I'emain hidden in a hollow tree, ca\'e, or dark 

 recess, coming forth to seek their [jrey at twilight and night. 

 Those bats that live in cold climates and do not migrate, 

 hibernate during the winter. 



The fruit-eating bats found in India, Ceylon, the Malay 

 Archipelago, and eastern .Australia are of large size and 

 have foxlike heads with large eyes and are diurnal in 

 habits. They fee(l almost exclusively up(:)n fruits. The 

 fruit bats or flying foxes of Ceylon often ha\-e a wing ex- 

 panse of forty inches. They frec]uently li\-e in colonies of 

 fifty or more individuals. 



In the valleys of the Amazon and in other parts of South 

 America are found tlie true ^ ;uni)ii-e l:)ats. These actually 

 suck the blood of wild animals and in some localities cause 

 considerable injury to domestic animals. Moreover, the 

 vampii-es often bite lumian beings on the nose oi- feet while 

 asleep at niglit. These f)a,ts ai-e all small, their bodies 

 measuring less than four inches in l(>ngth. 



Thf. First Mamm,\lr (Pn'mnfes) 



The Priiiialef< are rlinnidcriicd hi/ liavinq jirelicnsile 

 limbs bemuKe the poller, or lluniib and Uic IkiUii.v, or (jrcnl toe 

 are opposable to llie other difiils. There are usuallij fire 



