| family. 
BASTARD HYSSOP. 
Toona tree is beautiful, has a grain and colour 
similar to mahogany, and is made into all kinds 
of furniture. The flowers of this tree are em- 
ployed, along with those of safflower, for pro- 
ducing a beautiful red dye—The name bastard 
cedar is given also to a small genus of tender 
evergreen trees, of the byttneria family. This 
genus is now called by botanists Guazuwma, but 
was formerly called Bubroma. The elm-leaved 
species, Guazuma ulmifolia, is a timber-tree of 
Jamaica, and grows to the height of about 40 
feet. ‘Two other species are ornamental trees of 
about 20 feet in height, and natives of tropical 
| South America. 
BASTARD CHERRY. See Curry. 
BASTARD HYSSOP. A hardy, ornamental, 
tuberous-rooted plant, of the germander family, 
—Teucrium pseudo -hyssopus. It grows to the 
height of about 18 inches, and produces a white 
| flower in June and July. 
BASTARD INDIGO. See AmorpHa. 
BASTARD TOADFLAX, — botanically The- 
sium. A genus of perennial, herbaceous plants, 
of the sandal-wood family. The flax-leaved spe- 
cies, Thesiwm linophyllum, grows wild on the 
chalky pastures of England. Its stem is erect, 
angular, leafy, much ramified, and about half a 
foot in height; its leaves are light-green, rough- 
| edged, about an inch in length, and turned to 
one side; and its flowers have a whitish colour, 
are produced in terminal clusters, and appear in 
June and July. Upwards of thirty other species 
' are known to botanists; but all are exotic and 
uninteresting. 
BASTARD-VETOCH,—botanically Phaca. A 
genus of hardy herbaceous plants, of the pea 
About 15 or 16 species are grown in 
Great Britain; but all are exotic, only two or 
three are ornamental, and none are suitable for 
field cultivation. Most are natives of Siberia and 
the north of Europe. One of the Siberian species 
has been very long cultivated in British gardens. 
Its roots run very deep into the ground; its 
stems are ligneous, annual, and nearly four feet 
high ; and its flowers are produced in short spikes 
from the wings of the leaves. 
BAT. A mammiferous quadruped, of which 
there are numerous genera, species, and varieties. 
The bats constitute the first family of the order 
Carnivora; and are peculiarly distinguished by 
the elongation of their anterior extremities, 
which are expanded, and, by the intervention of a 
delicate membrane between the fingers, con- 
verted into wings. This membrane also includes 
the hind legs, of which, however, the toes are not 
similarly developed, and extends to the tail. In 
consequence of this organization, they are tech- 
nically named Chedroptera. These animals live 
chiefly on insects, are of nocturnal or crepuscular 
habits, fly with a fluttering kind of motion, be- 
take themselves by day to caves, crevices, and 
retreats of a similar nature, and in cold climates 
become torpid during a great part of the winter. 
BAT. 
Some of the larger tropical species are frugivor- 
ous. They vary in size from that of the smallest 
common mouse up to that of the gigantic ternate 
bat, whose body is as large as that of a squirrel. 
The smaller species are abundantly distributed 
over the face of the globe ; the larger appear to 
be confined to warm and hot regions, where they 
exist in great numbers, and are very destructive 
to the fruits. The purely insectivorous species 
render great service to mankind by the destruc- 
tion of vast numbers of insects, which they pur- 
sue with great eagerness in the morning and 
evening twilight. During the day-time, they 
remain suspended by their hooked hinder claws, 
in the lofts of barns, in hollow or thickly-leaved 
trees, &c. As winter approaches, in cold climates, 
they seek shelter in caverns, vaults, ruinous and 
deserted buildings, and similar retreats, where 
they cling together in large clusters, and remain 
in a torpid condition until the returning spring 
recalls them to active exertions. We here ob- 
serve the admirable arrangement of the great 
Author of nature, who has rendered it necessary 
that these animals should be torpid during all 
the time that their appropriate food is not to be 
obtained. In warm climates, where a constant 
succession of insects occurs, the same species of 
bat which, in a cold region, would become torpid, 
continue in activity throughout the year.—Bats 
enjoy the senses of sight and hearing to a con- 
siderable degree of perfection, but the acuteness 
of their sense of touch is perhaps unequalled 
throughout the whole extent of animal organiza- 
tion. In consequence of the great expansion of 
integument forming the exceedingly delicate 
membrane of the wings, ears, and nasal append- 
ages, bats are able, even when deprived of their 
eyes, to fly in such a manner as to avoid every 
obstacle. Silk threads, small sticks, or obstruc- 
tions placed across the course of flight of a bat | 
purposely blinded by taking out its eyes, are 
avoided with the most surprising dexterity, and 
advantage is taken of any space to pass between 
without touching them. Every inequality in the 
ceiling of a hall or chamber is avoided in the 
same way. 
membranes is sufficient to warn them of any 
obstacle, however slight, and enables them to 
turn, lower themselves, or draw in their wings, 
so as to clear the body, without the least appear- 
ance of effort. These soft, velvet-like wings also 
enable them to fly without noise, and, although 
their motion is unsteady and wavering, they 
advance with exceeding swiftness. From a flat 
or level surface, it is very difficult, though not 
entirely impossible, for them to rise into the air. 
They always suspend themselves by the hooks on 
their hind feet, whence they readily take wing 
by relinquishing their hold. The hook at the 
extremity and anterior edge of the fore-arm cor- 
responds in situation to the human thumb, and 
the bats use it with peculiar advantage in chang- 
The reaction of the air against the | 
