2. Appearance.—Examine a sleeping bat or a stuffed specimen. What is its body covered with, hair or feathers? Is it a bird or a mammal? Is the hair soft and furry? How large are the ears? Are the whiskers large or small? What are the wings like? Can you see any fingers? How many fingers are there? Do any of the fingers bear claws? Do the fingers support the wings? Which are longer, the fore limbs or the hind limbs? Do the toes of the hind limbs bear claws? What is their use? If possible, put a live bat on the ground; does it walk easily? Apart from the wings, what animal does the bat seem most to resemble? Do you know of any other flying mammal? [Pg 256] The Bat (Figs. 172 and 184 a).—On summer evenings in most country districts of Britain bats may be seen flitting about catching insects. The flight is peculiar, and somewhat suggestive of that of a butterfly, so that even in the dusk the animal may be distinguished easily from a small bird. “Bats drink on the wing like swallows, by sipping the surface as they play over pools and streams. They love to frequent waters, not only for the sake of drinking, but on account of insects, which are found over them in the greatest plenty.”[14] Fig. 172.—The Bat. (× ⅓.) The voice of the bat is a shrill squeak, of so high a pitch that many people cannot hear it at all. The animal is probably quite blind, but it has keen powers of scent and hearing, and in avoiding obstacles seems to be greatly aided by patches of specially sensitive skin on the face, and by delicate whiskers. During the day it lurks in dark corners of barns, church-towers, hollow trees, etc., hanging head downward by the hooked claws of its hind feet. On close examination the body of the bat is seen to be covered with soft fur, a character which at once proclaims the animal to be not a bird—as it has been incorrectly considered—but a mammal. The fur is often of a bright chestnut colour. The ears are large and practically devoid of hair, and are so thin as to be almost [Pg 257] transparent. The wings are thin folds of skin, which are attached in front to the long arms, are supported by the greatly elongated fingers, and reach to the hind limbs. Another membrane passes between the hind limbs, and in common species is also supported by the tail. The thumb is free, and bears a claw which is of some assistance in climbing. The hind limbs are small. The structure of the bat is obviously but little adapted to walking, and the animal moves about very awkwardly when on the ground, although it can rise on the wing again without much difficulty. The bat is rarely to be seen abroad after the middle of November, for as the cold weather approaches and insects become scarce, it suspends itself by its hind claws in some dark and sheltered corner, and goes to sleep for the winter, reappearing in early spring. 50. HOOFED MAMMALS.