80 



Order CHIROPTERA 



relatively few predators, it is known that a long-eared owl in 

 Illinois fed on two hoary bats. 



Normally an adult female gives birth to two young in late 

 May or early June and a few weeks later she may be so bur- 



Fig. 56. — Hoary bat. 



dened with the partially grown clinging young that she finds it 

 difficult to fly. 



The hoary bat is somewhat similar to the red bat and the 

 silver-haired bat in its migration and solitary habits and in its 

 habitat preferences. 



Distribution. — The hoary bat apparently is quite rare in 

 Illinois, although there are summer records of it from all parts 

 of the state. The Illinois subspecies is Lasiurus cinereus cinereus 

 (Beauvois). The known range of the species includes most of 

 North America: from Nova Scotia and southern Quebec north- 

 westward almost to the Yukon and southward to include most 

 of Mexico. It does not include Lower California, part of 

 southern Mexico, and the southern half of Florida. 



LASIURUS BOREALIS (Muller) 

 Red Bat 



Description. — The red bat, fig. 57, is the most colorful of 

 the bats found in Illinois. The brick or rusty red color of its 

 body, with a dusting of white, clearly distinguishes it from all 

 other kinds. The wings are dark reddish brown and the shoul- 



