564 The Hiftory of A N I M A L S. 
two teats, and the young are produced two at a birth ; the parent, while they are un¬ 
able to take care of themfelves, flies about with them, adhering to her body. 
Tnis is Common in all parts of Europe; we have it about churches, and other old 
buildings, in great abundance. It hides itfeif, during the day, and flutters about in 
the evening, preying on moths and other in feds. All the writers on animals have de- 
fcribed it; they call it Vefpertilio, and Vefpertilio vulgaris; we the Bat and the Flit¬ 
ter-moufe. 
Vefpertilio cauda nulla . ^ 
The Vefpertilio , without a tad. 
The fize and fiercenefs of this fpecies have obtained it the addition of eagle to it’s 
name; it is a very lingular and formidable animal : the body is twenty inches long, 
and confiderably thick, in proportion ; and, when the wings are expanded, it is not 
fmaller in appearance than the bird from which it is named : the head is large, of 
an oblong figure, and obtufe; the ears are fhort and patulous,, ere&, and covered with 
a very fine down : the eyes are large, black, and prominent: the mouth is large, and 
well furniflied with teeth ; the neck is fo fhort, that the head feems fet on imme¬ 
diately to the fhoulders; the body is thick and flefhy, there is no tail : the (lender 
legs are moderately long and flefhy, and the fore-ones are expanded into a kind of 
leathery wings meeting over the back, and, when open, of a mod furprifing expanfe: 
the back is covered with a tolerable long fur; the belly with a fhorter: that of the 
back is of a dulky and difagreeable dun colour, that of the belly is paler. 
This is a native of the Eaft and Weft Indies; it lives in caverns of the mountains, 
and often terrifies people by it’s fluttering in a ftrange manner. Many authors have 
mentioned a bat of this enormous fize, but few have defcribed, or even named it, in 
fuch a manner, as to convey an idea of it’s diftindtions. 
Vefpertilio caudatus lahio fuperiore hifido. 
The tailed Vefpertilio , with the upper lip bifid. 
This is a very large fpecies, but not nearly equal to the preceding in that refpedt s 
the head is of an oval figure, large at the crown, and fmaller at the nofe, but obtufe 
there : the ears are large and eredt, but not very high, in proportion to their expanfe : 
the eyes are large, prominent, and black; the mouth is wide, and furnifhed with 
ftrong and fharp teeth; the upper lip is divided in the manner of that of the hare: 
the neck is very fhort, the fhoulders are large; the back is broad and flat; the whole 
body is corpulent, but the tail is moderately long, and the hinder legs are robuft ; the 
wings formed of the fore-pair are very broad, and of a bluifh colour : the whole bo¬ 
dy is covered with a foft and fine down, of a deep lead colour ; fometimes there have 
been feen fome of them white, but that is accidental and uncommon. 
This is a native of South America, and is frequent in caves, and other dark and 
retired places. Some of the writers on animals have called it Vefpertilio cato fimilis. 
The fame writers have called the preceding fpecies alfo Canis volans, but thefe are ar¬ 
bitrary names, and exprefllve of nothing, except faintly of the fize. 
Vefpertilio caudatus nafo foliato acuminato . 
The tailed Vefpertilio , with a foliated , acuminated nofe . 
This is larger than the common bat, but it does not approach to either of the two 
former in fize: the head is of a lingular figure, oblong, deprefled, and acuminated at 
the nofe : the crown is large and flatted ; the front is lefs deprefled, and the extremi¬ 
ty at the mouth is fharp and foliated; the ears are fhort, eredt, and patulous; the 
eyes are fmall, but they are prominent; the mouth is wide, and well furnifhed with 
teeth : the neck is very fhort and thick; the body is broad and flatted ; the tail is 
fhort a 
