CARNARIA 



75 



M. Ceoffroy also separates from the Bats 



The Oreillards (Plecotm), — 



Which have the ears longer than the head, and joined ahove the cranium, as in the Megadcrms, 

 Rhinopomes, &c. Their tragus is large and lanceolate, and there is an operculum to their auditory 

 orifice. 



Fig. 18. — Ears or Plecotus auritus. 



The common species (Vesp. aurittu, Lin.) is still more 

 abundant in France than any of the Bats [and is equally 

 plentiful in England], inhabiting houses, kitchens, &c. Its 

 ears (fig. 18) are nearly as long as its body [more than double 

 the length of the head ; yet, when reposing (as shown in 

 fig. 19), they are folded so as to be out of sight. Its peculiar 

 shuffling irait, with the head raised, is different from that of 

 the Bats with short ears ; and it may be tamed to hover around 

 with familiarity, and alight upon the hand for insect food. 



—- _. , T . .. . . .. Fig. la.— I'kcoius auruua. 



The PI. brevimanus, Jenyns, is merely the young ; but there 



are several exotic species.] We have also another, discovered by Daubenton, with much shorter ears, [now 



forming the equivalent division 



the upper 



Barbastelle (Barbastelhts, Gray) — 



The ears of which are moderate, united at base ; and there is a hollowed naked space on 

 surface of the muzzle, in 

 which the nostrils are situ- 

 ated ; but one pair of false 

 molars to each jaw. 



Ji. Dimbentonii, Bell, (fig. 

 20,) is the only ascertained 

 species. It is of rare occur- 

 rence in Britain, and measures 

 lOJ inches in extent of wing.] 



Finally, Nycticeus*, Ra 

 fin., [ Scotophilia, Leach, 



Pipi.strcllu.1, Bonap.], with »«■ *>.— Barbiaiellni Dn ■ (.ml 



ears of medium size, and the simple muzzle of the Bats, has only two incisors to the upper jaw 

 [which are widely separated, and close to the canines.] It does not otherwise differ from VespertiQo. 



The known species are from North America, [but others have since been discovered in the ancient continent, 

 as .V. llrnl/iii, llnrsf., from India, and another from Java. Mr. Gray, indeed, includes must of the European Hi's 

 in Ins Scotophilia; but Temniinck, who rejects Pleat u* even, suggests, ami l think with reason, that the present 

 also is a superfluous division, based on insufficient characters. The Oreillards and Barbastelles are subordinate 

 to VetpertOto, also Euria, F. Cuv., (Furiptenu, Bonap.) which has the tail partly cartilaginous, Natalut, Gray, 

 wherein the heel-bone extends the whole length of the inteifemoral membrane ; Romieiut, <lia\ , and Miniopterui, 

 Bonap. Atalapha, Ratio., is said to have no incisors, Hyptxodon, Kaiin., to have incisors (of the usual Dumber, 

 six) in the lower jaw only ; Laiiurut has been applied to a small croup with the [nterfemoral membrane bairyi 

 and, lastly, PacAyotui and Nyctalut, Bowditch, are divisions of do value whatever, it is to tted thut 



naturalists cannot occupy thi ir time more profitably than in coinii g supernumerary Dames. 



■urjtu. — Ed. 



