TRUE BATS. 



105 



body, and when seen in certain positions 

 appear like two large thick horns. They are 

 thin and membranous, and are fused together 

 on the crown of the head. The external 

 margin runs down almost to the corner of 

 the mouth. The inner ear-covering or tragus 

 is long and tongue -shaped; the eyes very 

 small, the muzzle flat ; the wings short, 

 rounded; the point of 

 the tail projects be- 

 yond the flying mem- 

 brane. 



This species is met 

 with throughout Eu- 

 rope within the limits 

 of the wooded region, 

 and reaches as far as 

 India. It flies high 

 with a fluttering move- 

 ment of the wings, and 

 in flying generally rolls 

 up its ears in such a 

 manner that they re- 

 semble ram's horns. 

 _ 



Its favourite hunting- 

 ground is in open 

 spaces, and about the 

 roads in woods and 

 groves. It appears 

 only late in the year, 

 and comes out late in the evening. It usu- 

 ally passes the summer in hollow trees, the 

 winter in buildings. It stands cold well, and 

 survives in captivity. 



The Barbastelle or Pug-nose Bat (Synotus 

 barbastellus), fig. 39, resembles the former 

 species in the fusion of the ears on the crown 

 of the head, but not in the size of the ears. 

 The genus has one premolar less than the 

 previous in each half of the lower jaw, and 

 accordingly only 34 teeth. The short but 

 very broad ear has a peculiarly curved 

 expanded outer margin, the inferior portion 

 of which extends to the cheek between the 

 eye and the angle of the mouth. The wings 

 are long and slender, the colour of the fur 



Fig. 40. The Water-bat ( Vespfrtilio Daubentoni}. 



almost black, and the power of flight great 

 both in respect of endurance and capacity for 

 rapid turning. This species stands the cold 

 very well, comes out early, fears neither 

 storm nor rain, and is to be found high in 

 the mountains, wherever there are human 

 dwellings, since in these it prefers to pass 

 the winter. It has a span of about one 



foot or rather more, 

 survives in confine- 

 ment, and can even 

 to a certain extent be 

 tamed. 



The typical bats 

 forming the genus 

 Vespertilio, to which 

 the Common Mouse- 

 coloured Bat ( V. mur- 

 inus) and the Water- 

 bat ( V. Daiibcntoni], 

 fig. 40, belong, are dis- 

 tinguished by having 

 the largest number of 

 teeth which bats can 

 have ; namely, in each 

 half of the upper jaw 

 two, of the lower, 

 three incisors, one 

 canine, three single- 

 cusped premolars, and 

 three molars with several cusps. Dental 



2 ' I ' T, ' T. 



formula - - = 38 teeth. The snout 



3 ' i ' 3 ' 3 



is sharper and longer than in the previous 

 species, the ear sometimes longer, so as when 

 laid flat to reach beyond the point of the 

 nose, as in the mouse- coloured bat, sometimes 

 shorter as in the species represented in the 

 illustration. These typical bats, of which 

 there are seven species in Europe, are very 

 sensitive to cold and rain, have a long and 

 very profound winter-sleep, leave their winter- 

 quarters late in the year and retire again 

 early, in flying keep near the ground, fluttering 

 their short broad wings and showing little 

 power of rapid turning. The mouse-coloured 



