48 BRITISH BATS. 



above, shading into yellowish grey on the under 

 surfaces. The wings and inter-femoral membrane 

 are blackish brown. The females are much paler in 

 tint, but the young males are deeper in colour than 

 the adult specimens of their own sex. The serotine 

 bat measures from twelve to fourteen inches in 

 expanse of wing. A specimen of the parti-coloured 

 bat (Scotophilus discolor) was taken at Plymouth 

 by Dr. Leach, and is now in the British Museum. 

 This is the handsomest of the European bats, the 

 upper parts being of a rich glossy chestnut, dotted 

 with white. The ears are rounded in form, their 

 basal half being covered with thick woolly hair. 

 The length of the head and body is two inches and 

 a half ; the extent of the wings ten inches and a 

 half. In concluding this short notice of the prin- 

 cipal species of bats found in England, I have 

 endeavoured to embody the results of my own 

 observation. The habits of animals can alone afford 

 real and valuable information, as many living 

 beings, though similar in specific characteristics, are 

 widely removed from one another in mode of life. 



