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X. An Account of the larger and lesser Species of Horse-shoe Bats, 

 proving them to be distinct; together with a Description of Ves- 

 pertilio Barbastellus, taken in the South of Devonshire. By George 

 Montagu, Esq. F.L.S. 



Read November 19, 1805. 



Most naturalists have conceived an opinion that there are twa 

 varieties of the Horse-shoe Bat, Vespertilio Ferrum-equinum, di- 

 stinguished only by their size; as such, Gmelin quotes tho 

 major and minor of Schreber. 



The larger species only has hitherto been noticed in Eng- 

 land. This was originally discovered by Doctor Latham, who 

 communicated it to Mr. Pennant, and he first made it public in 

 his British Zoology, where he states it to be found in the salt- 

 petre houses belonging to the powder-mills at Dartford, fre- 

 quenting those places in the evening for the sake of gnats; and 

 also observed during winter in a torpid state, clinging to the 

 roof. It is described thus : « The length from the nose to 

 the tip of the tail is three inches and a half: the extent four- 

 teen. At the end of the nose is an upright membrane in 

 form of a horse-shoe. Ears large, broad at their base, in- 

 clining backwards, but want the little or internal ear. The co- 

 lour of the upper part of the body is a deep cinereous; of the 

 lower whitish.*' 



Doctor Shaw, in his General Zoology, has nearly followed Mr. 

 Pennant, but adds, " There is said to be a greater and smaller 



variety ; 



