The Log of the Sun: A Chronicle of Nature's YearBeebe, William
History
The Log of the Sun: A Chronicle of Nature's Year
Beebe, William
Natural history -- Outdoor books
When thoroughly warmed up, our bat will soon start on a tour of inspection
of his cage. He steps rapidly from one wire to another, sometimes hooking
on with all five toes, but generally with four or three. There seems to be
little power in these toes, except of remaining bent in a hooked position;
for when our bat stops and draws up one foot to scratch the head, the
claws are merely jerked through the fur by motions of the whole leg, not
by individual movements of the separate toes. In this motion we notice,
for the first time, that the legs and feet grow in a kind of "spread
eagle" position, making the knees point backward, in the same direction as
the elbows.
We must stop a moment to admire the beautiful soft fur, a golden brown in
colour, with part of the back nearly black. The tiny inverted face is full
of expression, the bead-like eyes gleaming brightly from out of their
furry bed. The small moist nostrils are constantly wrinkling and
sniffling, and the large size of the alert ears shows how much their owner
depends upon them for information. If we suddenly move up closer to the
wires, the bat opens both wings owl-like, in a most threatening manner;
but if we make still more hostile motions the creature retreats as hastily
as it can, changing its method of progress to an all-fours, sloth-like
gait, the long free thumb of each hand grasping wire after wire and doing
most of the leverage, the hind legs following passively.
When at what he judges a safe distance he again hangs pendent, bending his
head back to look earnestly at us. Soon the half-opened wings are closed
and brought close to the shoulders, and in this, the usual resting
position, the large claws of the thumbs rest on the breast in little
furrows which they have worn in the fur.
Soon drowsiness comes on and a long elaborate yawn is given, showing the
many small needle-like teeth and the broad red tongue, which curls outward
to a surprising length. Then comes the most curious process of all.
Drawing up one leg, the little creature deliberately wraps one hand with
its clinging web around the leg and under the arms, and then draws the
other wing straight across the body, holds it there a moment, while it
takes a last look in all directions. Then lifting its fingers slightly, it
bends its head and wraps all in the full-spread web. It is most
ludicrously like a tragedian, acting the death scene in "Julius Caesar,"
and it loses nothing in repetition; for each time the little animal thus
draws its winding sheet about its body, one is forced to smile as he
thinks of the absurd resemblance.
But all this and much more you will see for yourself, if you are so
fortunate as to discover the hiding-place of the hibernating bat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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