Page 9 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends

B Bat, Mouse-eared

(Myotis macrodactylus)

One of the smallest bats in the Far East. Weight 2.7–6.8 g, body length 37.2–42.4 mm,
forearm length 29.9–33.2 mm. The coloration of the upper side of the body is dark brown
with a golden tint. The underside of the body is gray with a yellowish brown tint. The entire
muzzle is covered with hair. The ear is short, tapering towards the end, with a small notch at
the posterior margin. The pterygoid membrane is attached to the hind limb at the base of the
outer toe. The length of the foot is less than half the length of the lower leg. A narrow epiblema
usually stretches along the base of the spur.
These bats live in riverside areas and, as a rule, feed on insects, detecting them above the
water using echolocation. A decade ago, however, it was discovered that in two groups living
in the Mediterranean, these bats pretty much supplement their diet with fish.
The main part of the range is confined to the northeast of China, Korea and Japan, and also
lives in the south of Primorye. Within the Sakhalin region — island Kunashir, South Kuril
region. Found in most of the island.

A mouse suddenly learnt
how to fly, and a hawk met

it. Hawk said: «Honorable
mouse, I’ve been looking for
you for three years. All the
birds paid tribute, only you
stayed away.» The mouse
answers: «Look, am I a
bird?» It went down into the
grass and ran. The hawk

flew away empty-handed. A
mouse ran to the hills, and there the fox was waiting for her: «Good afternoon, mouse.
I’ve been looking for you for the seventyear, all the animals paid tribute, you stayed
away.» The mouse replies: «Look, am I a beast?» — spread her wings and flew away.
She left the fox with nothing.

Since that time, being afraid of the fox, the bat has completely stopped running:
its legs have withered from fear. And she also does not dare to fly — she is afraid of
the hawk.

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