54 



The Irish Naturalist. 



[ March, 



This is not at all as easy to observe in the living animal as 

 might be supposed, and the "whiskers," the fringe of stiff 

 hairs around the muzzle, from which the specific name is 

 derived, are even more difficult to see, though obvious in the 

 dead specimen. 



Fig. 3. 

 Ear of Whiskered Bat. 

 1. — Inner margin of conch. 

 2.— Tragus. 



Fig. 4. 

 Ear of Daubenton's Bat. 

 1. — Inner margin of conch. 

 2. — Tragus. 



The colour of the fur, though more variable than the other 

 characteristics, is still a useful guide. The three species of 

 Vespertilio agree in having fur of a rich dark brown above 

 with light tips below, all appearing, therefore, when on the 

 wing, to sport a " white waistcoat," Natterer's Bat having the 

 lightest colour of the three. 



The Pipistrelle and the Hairy-armed Bat, both belonging 

 to the genus Vespertigo, have fur of a more or less dark 

 brown colour both above and below, while the Lesser 

 Horseshoe Bat, with its brownish-buff coat, is unmistakable. 



The Long-eared Bat has the longest fur of all, lighter below 

 than above, but the enormous ears of this species render it 

 the most easily recognized of all our bats. 



This outline sketch will serve to distinguish the Whiskered 

 Bat irom the other Irish species in the field, but a much more 

 elaborate scheme is required if scientific accuracy is aimed at ; 

 this will be found in Dobson's Catalogue, pp. 284-289, and 

 3H, 315- 



The size of this bat is typically as follows : — 



Length, 



Tail. Head. Ear. 



Head and 

 Body. 



I""5 



Tragus. Forearm. Thumb. 



1 "'4 

 3rd Finger. 



2"'I 



°"-55 



o"55 



o''-3 



5th Finger, 

 i -6 



Tibia. 

 o''55 



i'"25 



Foot. 

 o"-28 



o"-25 



