BATS. CHIROPTEI^A 175 



found in considerable numbers in caves. The length 

 of its body is 2^ inches^'^ind of the tail 1| inches. 

 It is reddish-brown in colour on the back and 

 greyish-white underneath. 



The greater horse-shoe bat flies late in the evening, 

 and usually in the neighbourhood of trees. 



The lesser horse-shoe bat {R. hq^l'iosiderias) is 

 little more than half the length of its larger cousin, 

 the head and body measuring 1^ inches and the tail 

 ]| inches. It has been seen only in the south of 

 England and in Ireland. In County Clare the lesser 

 horse-shoe bat was found hibernating in Caves among 

 plantations, and the two sexes occurred in separate 

 colonies. The ears are pointed and shorter than 

 the head, and spring from the forehead. 



There are fifteen species of bats reported as 

 British ; two of these are refei-red to above, and the 

 remaining thirteen species all belong to the family 

 Vespertilionida3, which is the most numerous in 

 species and most widely spread of all the families of 

 bats. 



The apertures of the nostrils are simple, round, 

 or crescentic, and there is no leaf-like membrane 

 round the nose in the members of this family. The 

 ears take origin from the side of the head, and an 

 earlet or tragus is present within the outer ear. 

 The tail is either completely contained within the 

 membrane joining the hind-legs or produced but 

 slightly beyond it, and the second or index-finger 

 has two joints. 



Of the nine genera mentioned by Beddard four 

 are represented in Britain, viz. Vesperugo, Vesper- 



