104 BRITISH MAMMALS 



by the late Mr. Bell, who also records an extraordinary specimen 

 that was caught in Warwickshire which had the fur of the under 

 parts strangely tinged with purplish-red.^ The barbastelle hiber- 

 nates early, and appears to be very sensitive to cold. It does not 

 frequent trees, but, on the contrary, seeks out deep caverns or 

 profound crevices below the surface of the ground. It is said 

 seldom to retire to the same place day after day, but to choose 

 constantly a different retreat. It is a solitary bat, and its flight 

 seems desultory and lazy. It also flies low. 



Its distribution over England is not uniform. It is met with 

 in Kent occasionally, in the midland counties, and in East 

 Anglia. Examples have been captured as far west as Warwick- 

 shire, and as far north as Cumberland. It has never been 

 obtained from Scotland or Ireland. 



Genus: PLECOTUS 

 This is a genus represented by two species, one inhabiting 

 North America and the other Europe, Asia, and North Africa. 

 It can be best described in connection with the species that is 

 found in Britain. 



Plecotus auritus. The Long-eared Bat 



This bat is readily distinguished by the enormous size of its 

 ears, which are proportionately longer than in any other mammal. 

 Each ear, in fact, is nearly as long as the animal's body. The 

 Long-eared Bat measures a little under 2 in. from the tip of the 

 nose to the base of the tail, and the tail is about if in. The 

 ears measure in length i^ in., and in breadth three-quarters of 

 an inch. The tragus is shaped rather like a leaf, except that the 

 inner side is nearly straight. It is little more than half an inch 

 long, and bends slightly upwards. The outer margin of the ear 

 commences behind the angle of the mouth. The inner margins of 



^ In some other Vespertilionid bats there is a tendency in the breeding 

 season for the males to develop a rich yellow tinge in the lower half of the 

 hair of the under parts. It may be the same tendency which tinged the fur 

 of this example with a purplish tone. 



