Batavia.

very much greater. It is not unlikely that some exaggerated accounts of the great bats of warm climates gave rise to the fable of the Harpies, which Virgil introduced into the Eneid. The bats of Europe are all small; the body of the largest British one is not so large as a mouse, and the fullest stretch of its wings about 15 in., whilst the common British species are much smaller; but in the kalong, already mentioned, the stretch of wing is 5 feet. Of British species, the largest is the noctule B. (vespertilio noctula), a very local species, found chiefly in the s. of England; the pipistrelle B. (V. pipistrellus) is perhaps the most common. It was long confounded by British naturalists with the common B. of the continent of Europe (V. murinus), which is much larger and very rare in Britain. In some parts of the country, the long-eared B. (plecotus auritus) is very common. It is distinguished by its enormously large and very beau tiful ears, which, when it is asleep, are folded up in a remarkable manner under the arm, the long tragus then resembling a slender ear. This great development of the ears is characteristic of certain genera of B.. that part of the ear called the tragus attaining also a remarkable size, so that it seems like a smaller ear in front of each large one. In many species, only two of which are found in Britain, there is a still more remarkable membranous or leaf-like appendage on the nose, which in some is simple, in some complex, and often of large size, giving an extraordinary appearance to the face. Some of the larger species, having a nasal crest, are called specter bats (q.v.). Only two species of B. (rhinolophus), possessing such an appendage, are found in Britain, both of them very rare; from the form which it assumes, they are called horseshoe bats. It is supposed that this nasal appendage is of use as a very delicate organ of touch, perhaps also of smell; as the great ears may be of use both for touch and hearing. These senses must often guide bats when that of sight cannot be employed; and the sense of touch appears to be possessed in no ordinary degree even by the wing membrane. By supposing it to be affected by the pulsations of the air, Cuvier accounted for the power displayed by bats which had been cruelly deprived of sight, of avoiding objects amongst which they flew, without the necessity of ascribing to them, as Spallanzani had done, the possession of a sixth sense.

It deserves to be here noticed that amongst the peculiarities which distinguish certain genera of bats, is the absence not only of the upper cutting teeth in the East Indian and African genius megaderma, but even of the bone in which these teeth are usually placed; and that another tropical genius, nycteris, of which the species are found in Africa and Java, have the skin attached to the body only at a few points, and capable of being blown up like a bladder, at the pleasure of the animal, by means of air which is inhaled through the nostrils into cheek-pouches communicating by small apertures with the general skin-bag. The use of this is wholly unknown.

Bats walk or creep awkwardly upon the ground, one side of the body being jerked forward, and then the other, yet they run with considerable celerity. There is a common notion that they cannot rise easily from a level surface, but must find some eminence from which to throw themselves. Of the fallacy of this, any one will soon be convinced who gets a B. and places it upon the floor.-Bats commonly produce one or two young at a birth.-Some of the species are very gregarious; others often fly about in pairs: great numbers, and of different species, are often found congregated in their places of hybernation or repose.-Some of the species are easily tamed, and become very familiar; but their odor is disagreeable, and it is generally found difficult to keep them long alive. See adjoining illus., figs. 10-13.

Fossil remains of cheiroptera are occasionally found in eocene rocks, but owing to the delicacy of the bones, great difficulty has been experienced in the determination of the genera and species.

BAT, or BÂT (Fr.) in military matters, was originally the name of a kind of packsaddle; and hence a bat-horse was a baggage-horse bearing a bat or pack, and a bat-man was a servant in charge of the horse and bat. By a modification of meaning, a bat-man is now any soldier allowed to act as servant to an officer. When British troops are sent on foreign service, bat-horses or mules are provided (if carriages are not forthcoming) for carrying the regimental books, the kettles, and tents, the medicine-chest, the veterinary medicine-chest, intrenching tools, armorers' stores, saddlers' stores, etc.— about 20 such horses or mules to each battalion, Bat-horses and bat-men are also provided for carrying officers' camp-equipage. An allowance for procuring these accommodations is usually called bat-money.

BATAK. See BATTAS.

BATANGAS, a seaport t. of the Philippines, island of Luzon, and capital of the province of the same name. Lat. 13° 45' n., long. 121° 5' east. Distance from Manilla, 50 m. s.; founded 1581. Pop. of town and district, 27,000. B., which is well built, and has an elegant appearance, is finely situated on an extensive bay which opens into the strait of Mindoro. Considerable advantage is taken of its facilities for commerce.

BATARDEAU', a strong wall of masonry, built across the outer ditch of a fortress, to sustain the pressure of water when one part of the ditch is dry and the rest wet. It is built up to an angle at the top, and is armed with spikes, to prevent the enemy from crossing; and sometimes a stone tower is provided to strengthen the defense. There is a sluice gate to regulate the admission of water.

BATS, BATRACHIANS, ETC.-1. Axolotl larva. 2. Amphiuma. 3. Green frog. 4. Tree frog. eared bat, hanging. 11. Same, flying skull. 19. Shrew (sorex araneus). 20. Skull of water-shrew. 21. Loris gracilis. 22. Loris's} 12. Pug-bat crawling. 13. Skull of same. 14. Flying

5. Ba

dger. 6. Brown bear. 7. Hooded basilisk. 8. Barbary ape. 9. Head of vampyre. 10. Longlemur or kalong. 15. Aye-aye. 16. Skull of flying-lemur. 17. Alpine snouted-mouse. 18. Mole's aw. 23. Mole. 24. Head of olm (proteus anguina). 25. Fossil foot-prints of amphibian.