The stepping stone to natural history : vertebrate or back-boned animals ... . ing four legs and feet. Q. Into how many subdivisions is it usual to arrange the Carnaria ?A. Into three, viz., 1. Hand-winged animals or Bats. (Cheiroptera.) 2. Insect-eaters. (Insectivora.) 3. Flesh-eaters. (Carnivora.) Q. What are the characteristics of theCheiropteraor Bats ? A. They have long fingers or toes on theirfore-legs, connected with each other by avery thin skin, which also extends to thehind-legs, and by means of which they canfly in the air like a bird. Q. How are the Insectivora distinguished? A. By
The stepping stone to natural history : vertebrate or back-boned animals ... . ing four legs and feet. Q. Into how many subdivisions is it usual to arrange the Carnaria ?A. Into three, viz., 1. Hand-winged animals or Bats. (Cheiroptera.) 2. Insect-eaters. (Insectivora.) 3. Flesh-eaters. (Carnivora.) Q. What are the characteristics of theCheiropteraor Bats ? A. They have long fingers or toes on theirfore-legs, connected with each other by avery thin skin, which also extends to thehind-legs, and by means of which they canfly in the air like a bird. Q. How are the Insectivora distinguished? A. By their elongated muzzle, short legs, conicaltuberculous molar teeth, and the lower in-cisors usually long and pointed forwards. Q. What are the prevailing characteristics ofthe Carnivora? A. They have six incisor teeth in each jaw ;large, strong, and pointed canines on eitherside; and three sorts of molar teeth. Allthe Carnivora possess immense muscularstrength, and have formidable claws. Q. What are the Cheiroptera or Hand-wingedanimals called ? A. Bats. CLASS I. CLAWED ANIMALS. 29 Q. Do Bats pass the winter in a torpid state ? A. Yes ; having selected the most secludedplaces, (such as old towers, roofs of churches,hollows of trees), they attach themselvesone to another by their hinder legs in im-mense numbers according to their species,and thus remain suspended with their headsdownwards until the spring. Q. Are Bats numerous in Britain? A. There are about twenty different speciescommon to this country ; of which the Long-eared, Barbastelle, and the Flittermouse aremost remarkable. Q. Is not the Vampire Bat of South Americadistinguished for its blood-thirsty propen-sities ? A. Yes ; but nearly all other species are per-fectly harmless. Q. How does the Vampire make its attack ? A. It is said to fan its victim, when asleep, withits wings ; and after biting out a small pieceno larger than a pins head, to surfeit itselfwith the blood. Q. Do any of the Bats eat fruit ? A
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