BASUTOLAND, a native province and British South African territory, between the provinces of Orange Free State, Natal and Cape of Good Hope. The Basutos belong chiefly to the great stem of the Bechuanas, and have made greater advances in civilization than perhaps any other South African race. In 1866 the Basutos, who had lived under a semi protectorate of the British since 1848, were proclaimed British subjects, their country placed under the government of an agent, and in 1871 it was joined to Cape Colony. In 1879 the attempted en forcement of an act passed for the dis armament of the native tribes caused a revolt under the chief Moirosi, which the Cape forces were unable to put down. When peace was restored Basutoland was disannexed from Cape Colony (1884), and is now governed by a resi dent commissioner under the High Com missioner for South Africa. Basutoland has an area of about 11,700 square miles, much of it covered with grass and there is but little wood. The climate is pleasant. Capital, Maseru. The chief products are wool, wheat, mealies, and Kaffir corn. The natives keep large
herds of cattle. The revolt in Basuto land led by Masupha came to an end Feb. 1, 1898. In 1903 it became a mem ber of the South African Customs Union. Pop. about 405,000.
BAT, the common name of all animals of the class mammalia which are fur nished with true wings, and so are ca pable of really flying or propelling them selves in the air. Bats are now generally placed by naturalists in the order chei roptera, although, like many other ani mals of that great order, most of them are by no means exclusively carnivorous. Upward of 130 species have been de scribed, and there is great probability that the actual number existing is very much greater. Bats walk or creep awk wardly upon the ground, one side of the body being jerked forward, and then the other; yet they run with considerable celerity. Bats commonly produce one or two young at a birth. Fossil remains of cheiroptera are occasionally found in Eocene rocks.