Bats are the only mammals in the world rising in airspace and soaring in it as if birds. The zoology describes them as representatives of group of wing-handed animals. It should be noted that their extraordinary appearance causes in people absolutely different emotions – from disgust and fear to the real affection.
As bats look
Bats – unique creations: within one look they can differ considerably from the relatives both in appearance, and the sizes. All of them represent the unique nowadays existing group of the flying mammals christened by wing-handed animals.
From the name of group it is possible to assume that instead of front extremities these animals have the most real wings, but it not absolutely so. The fact is that their "wings" are pads with the long phalanxes of fingers which are connected among themselves by a leathery membrane. The membrane which was tense as if a membrane makes front extremities of bats similar to wings.
By the way, among mammals there is one more group of the animals capable to rise in air. These are so-called flying squirrels. However these animals are not capable to full independent flights, they only plan from a branch for a branch, being in airspace is absolutely short. A muzzle at a bat - ugly, and at times even ugly with fancy ears. The little body at these beings is covered with not too dense wool. The back at them usually dark, and a paunch – is slightly lighter. The scope of wings hands can vary depending on subspecies of a bat. For example, at the red night-school student the wingspan reaches 15 cm, and at Bismarck's fox – 2 m! Shoulders at these beings very powerful, and disproportionately long forearm is presented only by one bone – beam. So-called wings are paws with the long fingers connected among themselves by a leathery membrane. Front extremities at bats – five-fingered: the big short finger is opposed long to four and terminates in a peculiar hooked claw.
What bats eat
Almost all bats are insectivorous animals, here only tastes on insects at them are different: while some wing-handed animals prefer butterflies, midges and dragonflies, others with pleasure regale on bugs, spiders and their wood larvae. To regale on favourite food, wing-handed animals need to grab dexterously the potential victim on the fly in air. Some bats learned to work the hands wings: they use them as blades, rowing up to themselves an insect. Practically all wing-handed animals eat in air. Some types learned more civilized meal: after hunting they fly to a convenient den where eat, slowly.