ZOOLOGY. 



21 



colder Climates, is during the winter raontlis ; they may (hen be 

 found in clusters, suspended from the roofs of caverns and 

 other dark retreats ; they revive from their inactive state 

 with the earliest warm weather, when they are rarely to be 

 procured but by the use of the gun, or by means of a large 

 net earned before a lighted lantern soon after dark, when, 

 they eagerly pursue the insects that fly towards the light, 

 and become entangled in the net. This latter method is 

 usually termed Bat-fou^ling. 



Ohder II. BRUTM. 



Front teeth wanting in both jaws : feet with strong hoof- 

 like nails: motions generally slow: food vegetable sub- 

 stances and insects. There are nine genera in this order. 



1. Platypus. Teeth none ; moicth shaped like the bill of a 



Di^cA:; /ee^palmated. 



The only species of this genus forms an anomaly among 

 quadrupeds ; in fact, in general appearance it seems at first 

 sight rather a monstrous or an artificial production, and 

 was so esteemed when first brought to this country; it is an 

 inhabitant of the estuaries of New Holland, and is so nearly 

 an aquatic as only to repair to the shore in search of worms 

 and aquatic insects, which it scoops from the mud in the 

 manner of the duck tribe; it burrows in banks, having the 

 entrance to its retreat under water. 



2. Bradypus, Sloth. Fro7it teeth wanting; canine teeth 



obtuse, single, longer than the grinders, placed opposite^ 



