The Rev. L. JENvws on the Common Bat of Pennant. 161 
vious examination, I would not rest too strongly upon this point: 
nevertheless, I conceive that under any circumstances the Lin- 
nean name should be suffered to rest with the continental species, 
of which there are so many excellent figures and details by Dau- 
benton*, Buffont, Geoflroy 1, and Desmarest§, rather than with 
our own, of which there is not a single delineation or description 
by any British naturalist sufficiently accurate to admit of its 
being recognised. 
Indeed, on this subject, it is surprising to remark the way in 
which authors have contented themselves with copying the bare 
and meagre descriptions of their predecessors, without adding 
anything from their own observation. Of all our English writers, 
including Martin, Berkenhout, Bewick, Shaw, Stewart, and 
Donovan, there is scarcely one who has done more than repeat 
the general colour and dimensions of this Bat, as originally 
stated by Pennant, or perhaps merely translate the Linnean 
specifie charactor. And. even in our two latest publications by 
* Mém. de P Acad. de Seirbes de Paris, ann. 1759. p 
- + Hist. Nat. tom. 8. p. 126. pl.15.f-1. 00 | 
X Ann. du Mus. tom. 8. p. 191. pl. 47 & 48. 
§ Mammal. (Encycl. Méthod.) p. 134. pl. 33. f. 2. 
|| In the Animal Kingdom of Mr. Griffith the description appears to be a translation 
from Desmarest, or at least evidently belongs to the Vespertilio murinus of that author ; 
yet along with references to Buffon and other continental writers, are associated as 
synonyms the Common Bat of Pennant and the Short-eared English Bat of Edwards ; : 
thereby showing that these were considered to be the same as the species described, 
notwithstanding that Pennant's dimensions of this Ba 
i omen eder and nine inches for. he Mr. Gr 
“annex his own, a length equalling four i d of Bury rleem! 
Dr. Fleming in bis s History of British Animals fallen into the same mistake. He. 
has likewise taken for his Specie character of our Common Bat that belonging to the 
Vespertilio murinus of Geoffroy and Desmarest, annexing the usual references to Ray 
and Pennant; under the idea that all these authors were ceca the. al j 
KE E — 4 " P 
