40 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE. 



muzzle, giving the Bat a peculiarly wizened appearance. 

 DAUBENTON'S BAT is best known by its extreme fond- 

 Vespcrtilio Daubtntoni. ness for water. It comes out from its 

 lurking places in trees or river banks 

 late in the evening and skims along just above the surface 

 of the water, much in the manner of a Swallow, though 

 it rarely touches it with its wings. Mr. J. Steele Elliott 

 reports that this Bat is common at the mouth of Dowles 

 Brook, in the Wyre Forest, and along the river Severn 

 generally throughout the County. It is very probable 

 that it occurs in suitable situations in other parts of 

 the County, but, no doubt, the late hour at which it 

 comes out, causes it to be overlooked, and makes it 

 difficult to procure specimens. A peculiar aspect is 

 imparted to the face of Daubenton's Bat by the cheeks 

 being swelled out into glandular protuberances. The 

 ears are rounded and rather small. Length from head 

 to tail, 3! inches. Colour, brown above and dirty white 

 beneath, the basal half of each hair being dark brown. 

 NATTERER'S, or REDDISH-GREY BAT. In the 

 V. Nattereri. additional notes to his " Fauna of 



Shropshire and N. Wales " published 

 in the Annals and Mag. ef Nat. History vol. iv., p. 396, 

 Eyton states that he had a specimen of this Bat taken 

 at Eyton, near Wellington, Salop. This was in 1840, 

 and is still the only record for the County, though as the 

 species is not a rare one it almost certainly occurs here, 

 but passes unrecognised. This Bat is distinguished by 

 the very long and thick fur ; by the lightness of colour, 

 especially of the under-parts ; and by the fringed inter- 

 femoral membrane. In its general habits it resembles 

 the Pipistrelle but seems to frequent buildings almost 



