Crass I. COMMON BAT. 
cular, uncertain, and jerking motion * of the bat 
in the air, can merit the name of flight. No 
birds whatfoever are furnifhed with teeth, or bring 
forth their young alive, and fuckle them: were 
other notes wanting, thefe would be fufficient to 
determine that the bat is a quadruped. 
The fpecies now defcribed, is the moft common: 
the ufual length of it is about two inches and a 
half: the extent of the fore-legs nine inches. 
The members: that are ufually called the wings, 
are nothing more than the four interior toes of 
the fore-feet, produced to a great leneth, and 
connected by a thin membrane; which extends 
alfo to the hind legs ; and from them to the tail: 
the firft toe is quite loofe, and ferves as a heel, 
when the bat walks; or as a hook, when it would 
adhere to any thing. The hind-feet are difengaged 
from the membrane, and divided into five toes, fur- 
nifhed with pretty ftrong claws. The membranes 
are of a dufky color: the body is covered with 
fhort fur, of a moufe-color, tinged with red. The 
eyes are very fmall: the ears like thofe of the 
moufe. 
This fpecies of bat is very common in England: 
it makes its firft appearance early in the fummer, 
and begins its flight in the dufk of the evening: 
it principally frequents the fides of woods, glades, 
and fhady walks; and is alfo frequently obferved 
* The Englifo fynonym of this animal, Fitter, or Flutter 
moufe, is very expreffive of its action in the air. 
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