164 DUBLIN NATURAL HISTOKT SOCIETY. 



Ears somewhat oval, deeply notched on outer side, a fold beneath the 

 notch, and also on inner side. The ears are bare for half their length, 

 the remainder covered with a dark .down. Tragus more than half 

 length of ear, lanceolate, inner side straight, outer lobed at base. 

 Fur of back reddish at the tips, the bases of the hairs black, which gives 

 a general dark appearance to the part. Interfemoral membrane dark, 

 almost black, covered with light hair ; hairy lines numerous (16). Belly 

 whitish, almost white. Tail long. Interfemoral membrane and wings 

 continued up to bases of toes. A distinct moustache of soft velvety 

 black fur, mixed with long bristles on each side, on upper lip. 



Locality: Feakle, county of Clare, 1852. One specimen only ob- 

 tained, which, as far as I know, is unique. It is in the collection of the 

 Dublin Natural History Society. 



The above description is drawn up from the only Irish specimen 

 knoMTi, which was obtained by me in August, 1852, under rather pecu- 

 liar circumstances, being brought to me by a domestic cat I was in the 

 habit of taking much notice of, the cat at the time drawing my attention 

 to her peculiarly acceptable offering by the peculiar churring noise used 

 by those animals in calling their kittens. At the time, although the 

 specimen was preserved, I mistook it for the common bat, and it was 

 not till some months afterwards, when I wanted the specimen to fill a 

 gap in the Society's Museum, that, on identifying the specimen, I per- 

 ceived its value. 



It was recorded by me at the June meeting of the Society, 1853, as 

 follows : — '' Mr. Kinahan also begged to present a bat obtained at 

 Feakle, county of Clare. He referred it in much doubt to V. Baubentonii 

 (although it approached very closely to a species as yet unrecorded as 

 Irish, F. mystacinus), which species had been once at least captured 

 here." At this time I had not seen a specimen of V. mystacinus, and 

 perhaps acted too cautiously in referring it to a species which was a 

 recognised inhabitant of the island, in preference to one previously un- 

 known. At a meeting of the Society, held December 4, 1853, I again 

 recorded my doubt as to its being V. Daubentonii, and, comparing it with 

 the specimens of that bat obtained at Kildare, which I then confounded 

 with batterer's bat, I noticed the points which are really characteristic 

 of the two species. I have already quoted Professor Bell's letter on the 

 subject of this specimen. 



I can give no account of its habits or habitats further than the fact 

 that there are but few buildings in the locality where it occurred, and 

 the trees in the neighbourhood are all young, and not covered with 

 ivy; the hills around are covered with rocks, many of which have 

 clefts and crannies of considerable size pervading them. 



The species is extremely liable to be confounded with V. Dauhentonu; 

 but the lesser size, the darker colour of the back, membranes, and ears, 

 the lighter colour of tlie belly, the coarser texture of the fur, the 

 greater extent of the moustache, and the form of the tragus, enable us 

 to distinguish between them. From V. dasycnemus ( V. emarginatus) of 

 the British Quadrupeds, it appears to be distinguished by the deep 

 emargination of the ear in that species. 



