74 Animal Life and Intelligence. 



average. Eeference to the figure of the bat's wing on 

 p. 64 will show that these excellences give length to the 

 wing. It fails, however, in the metacarpal and phalanges 

 of the fifth digit, and in the length of the hind leg as 

 represented by the tibia. On consulting the figure of the 

 wing, it is seen that these are the bones which give breadth 

 to the wing. Here the noctule fails. Its wing is, therefore, 

 long and narrow. It is a swallow among bats. 



On the other hand, the horseshoe bats fail conspicu- 

 ously in the second and third metacarpals, though they 

 make up somewhat in the corresponding digits. On the 

 whole, the wing is deficient in length. But the phalanges 

 of the fourth and fifth digits, and the length of the hind 

 limb represented by the tibia, give a corresponding increase 

 of breadth. The wing is, therefore, relatively short and 

 broad. The long-eared bat, again, has the third meta- 

 carpal and its digits somewhat above the mean, and there- 

 fore a somewhat more than average length. But it has 

 the fifth metacarpal with its digit and also the tibia 

 decidedly above the mean, and therefore more than average 

 breadth. Without possessing the great length of the 

 noctule's wing, or the great breadth of that of the horse- 

 shoe, it still has a more than average length and breadth. 



The total wing-areas are very variable, the females 

 having generally an advantage over the males. I do not 

 feel that our measurements are sufiiciently accurate to 

 justify tabulation. Taking, however, the radius and ulna 

 as the standard for bringing the various species up to the 

 same level, the greater horseshoe seems to have decidedly 

 the largest wing-area ; the noctule stands next ; then come 

 the lesser horseshoe and the long-eared bat; somewhat 

 lower stands the hairy-armed bat ; while the pipistrelle 

 and the whiskered bat (both small species) stand lowest.* 



Sufficient has now been said in illustration of the fact 



* We are anxious to extend our observations and to compare series of bats 

 from different localities. If any of my readers should feel disposed to help us, 

 by sending specimens (with the locality duly indicated) to Mr. H. Charbonnier, 

 7, The Triangle South, Clifton, Bristol, we shall be grateful. 



