Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A flying-fox; a fruit-bat; one of the large frugivorous bats of the family Pteropodidœ, such as the kalong or edible fruitbat, Pteropus edulis, of the East Indians, measuring 4 or 5 feet in alar expanse: so called from the fox-like face. See cut under
flying-fox .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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Having seen some of the very curious fox-bats alive, and given some condensed information about them in Dr Hamilton's series of volumes called "Excelsior," the writer may extract the account, with some slight additions, especially as the article is illustrated with a truly admirable figure of a fox-bat, from a living specimen by Mr Wolf.
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Titian Peale mentions that a specimen of the fox-bat was kept in
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The fox-bat is but seldom brought alive to this country.
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Macgillivray, John, on a fox-bat from Fitzroy Island, 45.
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William Dampier, [26] in 1687, observed the habits of a fox-bat on one of the Philippine Islands, though he has exaggerated its size when he judged "that the wings stretched out in length, could not be less asunder than seven or eight foot from tip to tip."
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Cook's sailor, who took a fox-bat for the devil, 40.
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Friendly Islands, the Feejees, and the Navigators, species of fox-bat form one of the characteristics of the place to the observant eye; while, if the traveller should happen to be blind, their presence among the otherwise fragrant forests would be readily perceived from the strong odour which taints the atmosphere, and which, says the Naturalist of the United States Exploring Expedition, "will always be remembered by persons who have visited the regions inhabited by these animals."
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The Javanese fox-bat occasionally affords amusement to the colonists as well as natives, who chase it, according to Dr Horsfield, "during the moonlight nights, which, in the latitude of Java, are uncommonly serene.
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Mr Macgillivray discovered a new species of fox-bat on Fitzroy Island, off the coast of Australia, when he was naturalist of H.M.S. _Rattlesnake_. [
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