. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. TUE SOJilCIXE SAT. THE GREAT-EAKED LEAF BAT.' The Greal^eared Leaf Bat, an iuliabitant of St. Domingo and Jamaica, is the type of a lemarkaLle little genus, characterised by having the ears very large, membranous, and united at the base by a mem- brane ; the nasal appendage erect; the interfemoral membrane large, cut out beh'nd in a broad curve- running from the tip of one spur to the other; and the tail long, projecting by its last joint beyond the interfemoral membrane. The head is rather long, and the jaws armed with four incisors in ea
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. TUE SOJilCIXE SAT. THE GREAT-EAKED LEAF BAT.' The Greal^eared Leaf Bat, an iuliabitant of St. Domingo and Jamaica, is the type of a lemarkaLle little genus, characterised by having the ears very large, membranous, and united at the base by a mem- brane ; the nasal appendage erect; the interfemoral membrane large, cut out beh'nd in a broad curve- running from the tip of one spur to the other; and the tail long, projecting by its last joint beyond the interfemoral membrane. The head is rather long, and the jaws armed with four incisors in each— the intermediate ones in the upper jaw being larger than the lateral—two premolars in the upper, and three in the lower jaw, and three true molars in each jaw. The species cf this genus occur in the- West Indies, Mexico, and California. The Great-eared Leaf Bat (Macrotus Waterhousii) is a small s])tcies, the head and body measuring two inches and a half in length, and the tail one inch and one-sixth. Its fur is of a mouse-colour, paler beneath, and the nose-leaf is lance-shaped. Our knowledge of the habits of this Bat is chiefly derived from observations made in Jamaica by Mr. Gosse and Mr. Osburn. The former says that it is one of the commonest of the Jamaica Chiroptera, and that it is more addicted than any other species to visiting lighted rooms at night. Mr. Osburn obtained it in abundance from caves ; and he adds that although it occurs in houses, it there always inhabits the cellars, and ls never fuuiul in roofs. The gi-eat breadth of the wings giv»;s. it during flight an appearance of being larger tli;iu it really is, and its flight, according to Mr. Gosse, is not so noiseless as in Bats generally, but accompanied by an audible rushing sound. When on the gi'ound, it makes no attempt to crawl, but springs at once into the air, and takes flight as readily as a bird. Mr. Osburn obtained many females with their young, and describes the mode in which the latter adher
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