Dunedin and Its Neighbourhood; A Short Account of Its History, Biology, and Geology and of the Commerce and Industries of Otago. a Handbook for the ... Association for the Advancement of Science - Softcover

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This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1904. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... ZOOLOGY. By Professor W. B. Benham, D.sc, M.A., F.Z.S., Core. M. R. S., Tasmania. New Zealand Zoology. The islands of New Zealand are, in respect of their fauna, in many ways so peculiar and interesting that, before giving an account of the local natural history, some remarks on the general character of our fauna deserve a place. Our islands form, together, the largest land area that is absolutely without any native terrestrial mammal, for the only endemic representatives of this class are two bats, one of which occurs also in Australia, while the second is peculiar to these islands. The Maori rat appears to be identical with the Polynesian rat; and the Maori dog resembled the dog of Tahiti and South Sea Islands. There is little doubt but that both, being used as food, were introduced by the early Maori immigrants. Mystacops tuberculatus, the long-eared or shorttailed bat, presents certain anatomical features that are very exceptional among members of the order. For example, the flying membrane is differentiated into two regions: that part of it next the body is thicker than the outer region, and when the membrane is not in use the latter is folded up close against the body, and is thus protected from injury by being covered by the former. "With the wings thus encased this species is the most quadrupedal of all bats." The claw on the thumb, too, is remarkable in having a small denticle near its base, while the sole of the foot being rough, and to some degree adhesive, serve to increase its climbing powers. This bat is rare now, and we know little of its habits; but, according to some observers, it appears to live in large communities in caves and hollow trees. The native Birds are extremely interesting, for' many of them have lost to a less or greater degree, or...