Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-02-11
For the Freeman.
A Chai with Farmers.
BY AGRICOLA,
ABOUT ALTERNATING ANIMALS.


The bat is emphatically called hiber-
mating animal. But what is batP Arts
totle, Pliny and other ancient writers re-
garded him rs a bird. This opinion was
entertained DUNG the middle ages, and
some even now so classify this strange
creature. But the bat is not n bird, al
though he has wings and can fly. He has
a long head compared with the size of
his body). which is mounted by two ears,
and which contains pair of very small
eyes. This last fact has given rise to the
common saying: "As blind as bat"
He has good set of teeth, as many a
school boy knows. who has attempted to
capture him from behind the blinds of the
old school house. The canine and incisor
teeth number from two to four in the up
per, and from two to six in the lower jaw.
The number of vertebra in the back is
twenty-four, equal to that of the human
skeleton.
Bats have long arms, hands and fingers.
The thumbs of the hands are provided
with hooked nails by which they Can
climb and suspend themselves The feet
are unlike the hands. From the heel Il
long pointed bony process extends, and
tdCH vi Ido lOGo titO ulSuSu WIN hOOhOh
nails by which they suspend themselves
with head downwards, when they desire 10
rest.
Fastened 10 all these members is a naked
flying membrane" which, when extend
ed. furnishes spacious wings which are
worked by the motion Of the arms and
legs. and enable the animal to fly with
great rapidly. But on the ground with
his wings folded, the bat is very awkward
and helpless. In the air he is entirely free.
When fatigued he retires 10 some dark
retreat and from the top of it hangs head
downward by his hind claws. If disturb
ed while in this position he releases his
hold, spreads his wings and is soon out of
danger
His small eyes are compensated for by
the large development of ears. The
external ear is nearly as long as the body,
and the internal ear is proportionally
large. The sense of smell is very acute,
and is supposed to act as substitute for
eyes when the animal enters the dark
caverns where there is not ray of light.
The bats sense of touch is SO exalted that
some naluralists have looked for a sixth
sense. 1t is known that he can fly with
perfect accuracy in the darkest night,
avoiding every obstacle that may come in
his way with as much certainty as he
could with ample eyes in midday. But
his eyes are very imperfect and afford no
security for random flights, even if it was
not day. But Couvier discovered that he
relies upon his exquisite sense of touch
which resides in his flying membrane.
The superstition is that the bat is made
acquainted with the distance of surround
ing bodies by the changes Of air pressure
upon this membrane.
In one species living in Africa the skin
adheres TO the body only at certain points,
and by a loose membrane. This commu-
nicates with large cheek pouches and
becomes inflated to such an extent that
he animal resembles balloon, with this
exception, that it has head, wings and feet.
The bat S mouth is uncommonly large,
evidently so constructed to enable it to
capture insects on the wing.
One American species have in the eX-
tremity of their tongue u circular row of
elevations forming complete sectional
disk. by means of which they may suck
the Juices of fruits and the blood of ami
mails. They do not produce a wound by
means of their teeth, but depend entirely
upon the power of suction FROM the capil-
! larry vessels.
There is IL large South American species
of bat called the vampire, whose natural
food is insects; but when pressed by hun
ger this bat will suck the blood of poultry,
cattle and even men. Fearful stories are
told of Il fabulous vampire which destroy
ed people by night, flaming them into
Inconsistencies by the tapping of theil
wings; but there is more fiction than fact
in these exaggerated stories.
Bats are natives of all the temperate
and tropical regions of the globe. There
are nine North American species. The
large East India species are extensively
used as food. The fur of the bat is very
fine and soft, but we have never heard o
its being used for any purpose.
The bat is nocturnal in his habits. ii,
avoids the light and noise of day, bu
when the twilight gathers over the earth
on warm summer evenings, he sallies fortl
in search of prey, and often himself fall
victim to the owl and other birds o
night which are also out in search of food
In the sOiNter. and, indeed, the greatc
part of the year, the bat remains in Il stat
of torpidity. This Information is the onl
means of preservation for this strang
animal. When his harvest fails or be
comes insufficient, he goes to sleep an
thus passes over the charm of death.