332 VESPEETILIONID^. 



nearly the upper half, then abruptly convex. Tragus about half 

 the length of the ear, subacutely pointed ; inner margin quite 

 straight, outer gently convex, with a distinct rounded lobe projecting 

 just above the base. 



Wings from the metatarsi ; feet large ; calcaneum long ; last two 

 vertebrae projecting from the interfemoral membrane. The face 

 in front of the eyes half naked ; glandular area between eyes and 

 nostril rather tumid. 



Upper incisors subequal in size, their cusps diverging widely. 

 Second upper premolar in the tooth-row, fully visible from without, 

 and about one third the height of the first. 



Colour brown, usually snuff-brown above, dirty white below ; 

 basal half or more of all hairs dark brown. 



Dimensions. Head and body 1'9 inches, tail 1'7, ear from crown 

 of head 0-4, forearm 1-45. 



Distribution. Throughout the greater part of the Palsearctie 

 region. This species has not been recorded from the Himalayas, 

 but, strange to say, two specimens were obtained in Teuasserim by 

 Mr. Limborg. 



Habits. This bat in Europe is generally found near water, and, 

 in the evening, flies about close to the surface of lakes, ponds, and 

 rivers, and feeds upon the insects that are so common over water. 

 It rests mainly on trees. It appears soon after sunset as a rule, 

 and after hunting over water for a time returns to hang on a 

 branch before it issues again in search of food. 



206. Vespertilio megalopus. The narrow-eared water Bat. 



Vespertilio megalopus, Dobson, A. M. N. H. (4) xvi, p. 261 (1875) ; 

 id. Cat. Chir. B. M. p. 298. 



Very similar to V. daubentoni, but the ears are 

 longer, much narrower, and more acute, and laid 

 forwards extend beyond the end of the nose ; the 

 upper third of the inner margin of the ear-couch 

 is straight instead of being convex, and the tip is 

 Fig. 106. Ear narrowly rounded off. The tragus is longer, nar- 

 of V. mega- rower, and quite obtuse, the upper third of its 

 lopus (Dob- inner margin slightly concave, but the extremity 

 B D M ) is not directed inwards. 



Wing-membrane from just below the ankle. 

 The first and second premolars are proportionally smaller, and 

 the second is more inside the tooth -row than in V. daubentoni. 



Dimensions. Head and body 1-65 inches, tail 1-6, ear from crown 

 0-5, forearm 1-45. 



Distribution. Kashmir. The collection containing this and other 

 species was purchased by the British Museum and supposed at the 

 time to be African, but it has since proved to be from Kashmir. The 

 present is one of the few species included that has not been 

 met with in other Kashmir collections. 



