182 



COMMON J3RITISH ANIMALS 



in repose it hangs from the walls of some old build- 

 ing, suspended by its hind feet, folds back the outer 

 ears along the sides of the head and body and erects 

 the tragus or inner ear. The wing membranes are 

 neatly folded and it draws up the tail. When about 

 to fly it erects the head and ears and raises the 



Fig. 44. — The Long-eared Bat {Plecotus auHttis [Linn.]). 

 (Photo, by H. C. Wood, from a siDecimen in the British 

 Museum of Natural History.) 



hands. It is active on the ground, using its tail 

 and claws. It utters a sharp, very shrill cry, which 

 is so highly pitched as to be inaudible to many 

 human ears. 



The barbastelle is a little black bat, the head 

 and body measuring If inches and the tail about the 

 same. This bat is very like the long-eared bat, but 



