. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 62 OKDERS OF MAMMALS—BATS THE FAMILY OF LEAF-NOSED BATS. Phylloslomatidae. The members of this Family bear on their noses thin leaves of naked skin that stand erect behind, or partly around, the nostrils. These wonderful nose-leaves are pear-shaped, heart- shaped, wedge-like, and of many other forms. The ears are large, or very large; the wing mem-. CALirORNIA LEAF-NOSED BAT. (After Harrison Allen.) brane reaches down to the foot; the tail is long, and sometimes extends a s
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 62 OKDERS OF MAMMALS—BATS THE FAMILY OF LEAF-NOSED BATS. Phylloslomatidae. The members of this Family bear on their noses thin leaves of naked skin that stand erect behind, or partly around, the nostrils. These wonderful nose-leaves are pear-shaped, heart- shaped, wedge-like, and of many other forms. The ears are large, or very large; the wing mem-. CALirORNIA LEAF-NOSED BAT. (After Harrison Allen.) brane reaches down to the foot; the tail is long, and sometimes extends a short distance beyond the interfemoral membrane. On the whole, the bats of this Family form an astonishing exhibit of facial oddities. All save a few species are confined to South America. The California Leaf-Nosed Bat^ may be taken as a very modest example, because it bears what is really a very simple form of nose-leaf. It is found in .southern CaUfornia and Mexico, and its pelage is very light-colored. The most remarkable of all h>at faces is that of a small, brown-colored West Indian species known as Blainville's Bat.^ As a sport of Nat- ure it stands fairly unrivalled, and shows what is possible in the fashioning of skin into orna- mental forms. The ears are large and of most fantastic form, the chin is bedecked with a high- ly convoluted bib of skin, and the eyes and nos- trils are almost lost amid the leaves and tuber- cles which cover the muzzle. As a whole, the appearance of the face of this bat suggests a high- ly comphcated flower, like a double pansy. The skull is only five-eighths of an inch in length. ' O-top'ter-us cal-i-jor'ni-cus. ' Mor'moops hlain'vill-ii. This species is quite uncommon, and practically nothing is known of its habits. In fashioning the noses and ears of bats. Nat- ure has done some very odd and curious work. The flowers of orchids are not more oddly fash- ioned than the heads and faces of some species. Let it not be supposed, however, that
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