ORDER OF BATS 



317 



The Spotted, or Jackass Bat is of very unusual 

 appearance, having enormous ears hke the pro- 

 verbial jackass. It is exceedingly rare, being 

 known from a single specimen only, which is in 

 the American A'lusenm of Natural History in 

 New York. It differs so widely from others 

 that no comparison with any is necessary. Its 

 peculiar color at first sugge.-ts albinism, but since 

 the fur is everywhere dark at base, even in the 

 white areas, the pattern is probably normal. Dr. 

 Merriam says of the Spotted Bat : " The type 



of this remarkable genus and species is believed 

 to have been obtained near San Fernando, Cal. 

 The type specimen remains the only one thus far 

 collected, but the species probably ranges over 

 much of the lower Sonoran Desert region in 

 summer. While in Vegas Valley, Nev., I was 

 told that a very large Bat ' with ears like a jack- 

 ass and a white stripe on each shoulder ' is 

 abundant at that place in the summer, but does 

 not occur in spring or fall."' It is probably a 

 migrating species. 



Photograph from the American Museum of Natural History 



COMMON BROV/N BAT 



A mounted specimen, showing the enormous wing spread. It is next to impossible to obtain such a 

 picture of the living animal, because of its erratic flight and also because it flies by night 



LITTLE BROWN BAT 



Myotis lucifugus (LeConfe) 



General Description. — Similar in superficial char- 

 acters to the Common Brown Bat, but much smaller. 

 Head small ; ears more slender and proportionately 

 taller, tragus slender ; body small ; wings long and 

 -jiarrow ; tail quite long but less than half total length : 

 pelage soft, dull-brown in color; membranes not furred 

 except at extreme base of interfemoral membrane. The 

 commonest small Bat of North America. 



Pre- 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, -— ; Canines,— 



3—3 1- . 



molars, ^^; Molars, 3^ = 38. 

 3— J 3—3 -^ 



Pelage. — Adults : Sexes identical ; seasonal varia- 

 tion slight General color somewhat variable in shade 



but usually dull brown ; beneath pale brown tinged with 

 gray or yellowish; membranes blackish. Young: 

 Similar to adults. 



Measurements. — Total length, 3.6 inches ; tail verte- 

 brae, 1.4 inches; hind foot, .4 inch; expanse of wings, 

 9 inches. 



Range. — Whole of North America north of the Rio 

 Grande, except in the Rocky Mountains and on the 

 Pacific Coast. 



Food. — Insects. 



Remarks. — The Little Brown Bat is a member of a 

 genus that has become differentiated into a great many 

 species and subspecies, all, hov/ever, showing their 



