DUBLIN NATURAL HISTOHY SOCIETY. 169 



ber, November, December, and January, fl5'ing about the bridges on the 

 Dodder, near Donnybrook ; but, not having procured the specimen, I 

 cannot quote the species in certainty. I have also seen them, in the same 

 mouths, in the streets of Dublin ; so that it would appear that the periods 

 of hybernation are irregular. I have never seen Uiem in the depths of 

 the night ; about 1 1 o'clock is the latest. 



Dr. R. Ball showed me a specimen, captured near Dublin, which an- 

 swered perfectly to the description and figure of the pigmy bat of Leach, 

 but it appeared to me only a young pipistrelle. 



It thus appears that of the bats in Ireland we possess only six species 

 to seventeen British (including PI. brevimanua, V, das^cnemtis, and V. 

 ^dilisj and excluding V. pygmceua and V. ema/rginatu%) ; of these, Sc. 

 piputrellua is probably a northern species ; V. Dauhentonii and Plecotus 

 auritus are southern Germanic; and V. mystacinus, V. Niatter&ri, and 

 Ithinolophus hippoaideros are probably Lusitanian, though not restricted 

 Lusitanian. With respect to the species wanting in Ireland, there is no 

 reason why the Greater Horse-shoe bat should not occur, at least looking 

 to its European distribution. The Noctule may also possibly be found, 

 and more probably the Serotine. All the other species, judging from 

 their distribution in England, and rarity there, appear to have been in- 

 troduced into that country after the separation of the islands, and there- 

 fore ought not to be expected to occur. There is so much confusion, 

 however, regarding the synonyms of the Bats, that it is extremely hard 

 to judge. 



By reference to Mr. Andrews' remarks, before quoted, it will be seen 

 that we have evidence of the existence of at least two species in this 

 country which are not included in the above lists. One of these — that 

 captured near Dublin — it is impossible now to speak about. The other, 

 a large bat seen at Dingle, he thinks may possibly be the Noctule. It 

 appears to me to be more likely to have been the Greater Horse-shoe. 

 The dimensions of the Noctule and Rh. ferrum-equinum are so nearly 

 alike, that on the wing they would be undistinguishable ; indeed, the 

 same remarks apply to the Serotine and Mouse-coloured bat ( V. muri- 

 mis) as well ; and Professor M'Coy's notice of the genus Rhinolophus 

 would rather refer to the Greater than to the Lesser Horse- shoe. At the 

 same time, the record of even a seemingly vague and unsatisfactory note 

 of the occurrence of any bat is of importance ; for, as the history of the 

 discovery of Ph. hipposideros and V. Dauhentonii has shown us, such 

 notes often lead the way to discovery. 



The following analysis of the British species of bats, drawn up by me 

 some years since, affords a key to the discrimination of the species which 

 may be useful to inquirers. 



The non-Irish species are inserted in italics. 



Cheieopteka. 



Ears without an internal appendage (tragus) ; skinny appendage 



on the nose. Rhinoloplius II. 

 Ears fiuTiished with a tragus ^ no appendage on nose. III. 



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