. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 60 ORDEES OF MAMMALS—BATS From the bats of the United States, there is nothing to fear, for their claws and teeth are pitifully weak. One cross old "bumble-bee," angrily bumbling, is more dangerous to a peace- ful community than all the bats of our country taken together. In some portions of South America, however, the vampire bats cause seri- ous trouble. Keen-eyed boys and girls all over the world should know that httle is known concerning. SKELETON OF PALE BAT.
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 60 ORDEES OF MAMMALS—BATS From the bats of the United States, there is nothing to fear, for their claws and teeth are pitifully weak. One cross old "bumble-bee," angrily bumbling, is more dangerous to a peace- ful community than all the bats of our country taken together. In some portions of South America, however, the vampire bats cause seri- ous trouble. Keen-eyed boys and girls all over the world should know that httle is known concerning. SKELETON OF PALE BAT. Antrozous pallidus. the habits of bats, and much remains to be found out. These creatures are therefore excellent subjects for original investigation. The Order of Bats as a whole contains about four hundred and fifty species, but it is safe to say that three-fourths of them are known only by their dry skins and skulls, and that their habits are quite unknown. The questions are,— why do bats hve? Upon what do they feed? Are they useful to man, or injurious? What are their friends and their enemies? Do they migrate, and at what times? Where do they nest, or take shelter; and what are the facts about their young? What parasites and dis- eases have they? Although 'the bat is a true mammal, it is al- most as wide a departure from the ordinarj-^, four-legged, land-going tjrpe as is a whale or manatee. Its hand reveals an extreme degree of what is called "; For a mam- mal, the arms are of great length. The bones of the fingers are enormously extended, and con- nected with hairless skin as flexible as india rubber, to form a wing for flight. This wing membrane is extended on up the arm .to the body and the legs, and is continued between the legs and tail, where it forms a supporting parachute in flight. The thumb of a bat is very short and free; and its nail is developed as a hooked claw, by the aid of which the creature can comfortably climb about or supp
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