176 



COMMON BRITISH ANIMALS 



tilio, Plecotiis, and Synotus. Vesperugo is by far 

 the most nnnierous of all the genera. It contains 

 seventy-five species all told, five of which inhabit 

 this country. The common bat which flits about, as 

 the sun sinks, is one of them. He is called the 



Fig. 41.— The Pipistrelle (Vesperugo pipistrellus) at rest. 

 (Photo, from life by H. C. Wood.) 



"Pipistrelle^^ {Vespervgo pipistrellus), and is the 

 smallest of the British bats, the head and body 

 measuring only 1| inches and the tail If inches. It 

 is found in every part of the British Isles and all 

 over Ireland. 



It was for some time confounded with the mouse- 



