n
birds, is, of course, an adaptation to give surface for the attachment of
the great propelling muscles of the wings.

Although the hand of a bat is so strangely altered, yet, as we shall see
if we look at our captive specimen, it has five fingers, as we have, four
of which are very long and thin, and the webs, of which we have a very
noticeable trace in our own hands, stretch from finger-tip to finger-tip,
and to the body and even down each leg, ending squarely near the ankle,
thus giving the creature the absurd appearance of having on a very broad,
baggy pair of trousers.

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 t