60 NORTH AMERICAN BATS, 



Vespertilio nitidus, Allen. 



The Californian Bat. 

 Fig. 57. Fig. 58. 



^mKHf 



Vespertilio nitidus, Allen, Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci. 1862, 247. 



Description. — Body small; head and face very hairy, the 

 nostrils separated by a narrow, slightly emarginate space ; ears 

 longer than head, slightly emarginate on outer edge, curving 

 somewhat outwards, hairy at basal third behind, extending up a 

 greater distance on the inner side ; tragus tapering, leaning a 

 little outwards, and about half the height of auricle ; lips ex- 

 tensively whiskered ; thumb and foot small ; interfemoral mem- 

 brane ample, sparingly haired at upper half behind ; calcaneura 

 rather long, with an excalcaneal membrane ; color of membranes 

 darkish brown; tip of tail rarely-exserted. The termination of 

 the calcaneum forms no angle with the interfemoral membrane. 



Fur long and silky. Color plumbeous at base with russet 

 brown and olive tips behind, and lighter russet or ashy cinereous 

 in front- Interfemoral membrane naked, except the usual tuft at 

 the base behind, and a few lightish hairs arranged transversely in 

 front. 



Dentition as in V. evotis. 



This species bears a strong resemblance to Vespertilio mysta- 

 cinus, Leisler, of Europe. The emarginate ear, elongate tragus, 

 and whiskered lips are seen in both ; but our species is the larger, 

 while the thumb is smaller ; the tail is shorter, and calcaneum 

 more produced. It differs also in color — V. mystacinus being 

 of a grayish brown, V. nitidus a reddish brown. 



Xos. 5405, 5537 and 5402 — four specimens in all — present the 

 following peculiarities : The fur is longer than in others of the col- 

 lection. On the back the base of the hair is blackish ; upper third 

 pale yellow, turning to a delicate light-yellowish russet brown ; on 

 the belly the hair is dark at the base, with light tips ; the hairs on 



