THE BATS. 19 



places where insects most do congregate, now round the 

 barn or haystack, and now along the river-side, contending 

 almost with the trout for the sedge and other flies. When 

 you look at it closely you will see that it has a russet- 

 grey fur, dark leathery wings, and very wee eyes. There 

 is another bat not so common, but often confounded with 

 the pipistrelle, namely, DAUBENTON'S BAT (Vespertilio Dau- 

 bentonit), which frequents the surface of the water more 

 especially, and has a much slower and more quivering 

 flight. Bell says it is essentially an aquatic species. The 

 difference is in the expansion of the wings, Daubenton's 

 being 9 inches, the pipistrelle 8 inches 4 lines. The colour 

 of fur is a reddish- brown, a moustache of soft, long hair 

 on each side of upper lip, and the foot free from the wing 

 membrane; while in the pipistrelle the colour is yel- 

 lowish-red on forehead, a protuberance on each side of 

 nose, and a small elevated wart over each eye. 



Another small bat is known as the LONG-EARED BAT 

 (Plecotus auritus), distinguished principally from the extra- 

 ordinary length of its ears in comparison to the rest of the 

 body; not so often seen as the pipistrelle, but common 

 enough in some parts ; is somewhat larger than the flitter- 

 mouse, and it is difficult to know one from the other in 

 the flight ; but the long-eared bat has a very peculiar 

 voice, a kind of a shrill chatter, which, when once heard, 

 will readily distinguish it. When in hand it is at once 

 recognised by the extraordinarily long, transparent ears. 

 These bats become very tame and much attached to those 

 who feed them, often taking a fly from the lips. 



Another not very uncommon bat we may mention is the 

 BARBASTELLE (Barbastellus Daubentonii). Bell says : " If in 

 a twilight stroll about midsummer a person finds himself in 

 close proximity with a bat of somewhat thick and clumsy 

 form, but of rather small size, whose flight is so desultory 

 that it appears to be flapping lazily about hither and thither, 

 seemingly without purpose, and intruding so closely that 

 the flutter of its wings may be heard, and even the cool 

 air thrown by their movement felt upon the cheek, it may 

 with almost certainty be recognised as the barbastelle." 



