GLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 3. CHEIROPTERA. 
129 
a rude age, the imagination needs little encouragement to convert objects so really curious and 
strange as those we have been describing, into hideous monsters, endowed witli supernatural 
powers. It is the province of education and enlightened reason to reduce these horrid creations 
of fancy to the comparatively simple and innocent dimensions of truth. 
The Cheiroptera may be divided into four families: First, the Pteropodes^ or Roitssettes, some- 
times called FoX'bats, from the shape of the head; second, the FhjUostomides, or Vampires; 
third, the Ehinolophides, or Horse-shoe Bats .• and finally the Vesper tiUonides, or Cnmrnon Bats of 
Europe and North America. 
THE ROUSSETTES, OR PTEROPODES. 
The zoological name of the bats of the family Pteropus is derived from the Greek j^teron, a wing^ 
and pous, a foot. They are entirely confined to the warmer mparts of the Eastern Hemisphere. Th ey 
are most abundant in the islands of the Eastern Archipelago, whence the greater part of the species 
are derived ; but they occur also on the main-land of Asia, in the tropical islands of the Pacific, 
in Africa, and even in Australia. They are the largest of the bats, the kalong of Java measuring 
rOX,.-OR KOUSSETTE BAl^S. 
no less than five feet in extent of wing, and the body two in length. They are frugivorous in their 
habits, and do great damage in gardens and plantations; but in confinement they have been 
known to eat the flesh of birds, so that it is .possible -they may vary their diet in a similar manner 
in a state of nature. They have a disagreeable odor, described by some observers as musky, by 
others as "mildewy.'" The flesh of some species is, however, eaten by the inhabitants of the 
places where they occur. It is probable that the bat which figures among the articles of food for- 
bidden to the Jews, belonged to this group. Like the other bats, they are nocturnal animals, and 
pass the day suspended by the hind-feet from the branches of trees or the crevices of rocks ; but 
some are known also to fly at noonday. 
Genus ROUSSETTE : Pteropus. — Of this there are several species, generally destitute of tails. 
The Kalong, or Edible Roussette, P. eduUs, is so called because it is frequently nsed as food, 
being hunted for that purpose, and tasting, it is said, like rabbit. It is the largest of the bat 
faraih^, the body being of the size of a small dog. Its color is nearly black. The museum of 
Leyden has possessed several specimens, sent from Java, Sumatra, and Borneo. These chiefly 
Vol. I.— 17 
