THE BATS. 33 



at all seasons, and I have seen the pipistrelle abroad within 

 a fortnight of Christmas. When disturbed and dragged 

 forth against their will, they usually become very active for 

 an hour or two, but rarely survive this unwonted energy. 



In breeding, the different species vary somewhat ; but, 

 as a rule, the female brings forth one, or at most two, at 

 a birth in early summer, wrapping the young in a fold of 

 her membrane. 



It will now suffice to enumerate briefly the fourteen 

 species referred to. 



The Great Bat, called by White the "high-flier," is 

 found in hollow trees, its presence being often betrayed 

 Great Bat by its fetid odour. It is this bat that has 

 or Noctule. been found hibernating in pairs. The mem- 

 brane starts above the ankle. There is a line of hair 

 along the forearm, in which it resembles the next species. 

 It appears not to have occurred in either Wales or Scot- 

 land, but has been noticed in Ireland. 



The Hairy-armed Bat, a smaller species that closely re- 

 sembles the last, save for certain differences in the teeth, 

 Hairy- is apparently confined to our south-western 



armed Bat. counties, and to a few districts of Ireland. 

 It is at most but a rare wanderer. 



The Pipistrelle is the commonest of our bats, and is the 

 more in evidence inasmuch as it rarely hibernates for more 



,,. . , than three months, and is consequently seen at 

 Pipistrelle. . , . 



a time when most other species are in hiding. 



Though insectivorous by preference, devouring even the 

 hard wing-cases of beetles, it will also, in captivity at any 

 rate, feed readily on flesh. Save for a tuft of black hair 

 over the eye, the face is almost naked. The fur is reddish 

 brown at the surface, but much darker, almost black, at 

 the roots. The ears are conspicuously lobed and notched 

 on the margin. Over the mouth are large glands. The 

 membrane starts below the ankle. 



The Serotine (the V. noctula of St Hilaire, whose V. 

 serotinus is our V. noctula) is a solitary bat met with in 



C 



