THE COMMON HAT. 1 39 



It inhabits almost all Europe and North and Central Asia, and extends 

 from Spain to Japan. It is exceedingly common in Germany, where no 

 town, no village, no farm does not harbor them. It is the Common Bat 

 of Great Britain. 



Its flight is marked by great adroitness. In the bright evenings it is 

 seen sometimes skimming over the surface of small pools, but oftener 

 flitting to and fro between the stems of the trees. In villages it seldom 

 rises higher than the second story, and never Hies far in the centre of 

 the street, but keeps near the houses. It is fond of entering lighted 

 rooms, but avoids low and small chambers. 



They can be tamed to a certain extent, and soon become familiar with 

 the people whom the relations of every day have taught them to recog- 

 nize. Dr. Franklin says that he has seen, in several farms in England, 

 bats which were perfectly tame. These little creatures lived in the same 

 room with the farmer's family. If any one, holding an insect between 

 his lips, imitated the buzzing of a fly, they perched upon his shoulder, 

 sought for the insect around his mouth, and even seized it from between 

 his lips. 



Its mode of eating is peculiar. According to White's " History of 

 Selborne," if you give it anything to eat, it brings its wings round before 

 the mouth, hiding its head. It is capable of running on the ground, and 

 is an agile climber. 



They are exposed to many enemies ; hawks attack them in summer, 

 weasels and mice invade their hiding-places in winter, but it finds its 

 bitterest enemy in man. 



The Sero TINE, Wspcrtilio serotinus, has the ears pretty large, the fur 

 long and soft, the color reddish-brown passing into dull-yellow beneath 

 the body. Its flight is slow, and it is generally found solitary or in pairs. 



The Mouse-colored Bat, Vcspertilio murinns, measures three inches 

 and a half from the snout to the root of the tail. The head is narrow in 

 front and elongated, the eyes conspicuous, the ears sharply pointed. It 

 is described as a very pugnacious animal. 



THE BARBASTELLE. 



The Barbastelle or Bulldog Bat, Vcspertilio barbastellus, (Plate 

 IV), measures three and a half inches, and has a spread of wing of ten 

 inches. The color is blackish-brown, inclining to gray beneath. The 



