COMMON BAT, OR PIPISTRELLE. 105 



short, with three joints, its claw very small, com- 

 pressed, and slightly curved ; the second finger 01 

 two joints, the last extremely small ; the third of 

 four ; the fourth and fifth of three each. The hind 

 feet are rather long, slender, with five very small, 

 compressed, nearly equal toes, the claws decurved, 

 tapering, much compressed, and very acute. The 

 tail is rather long, very slender, and terminates in 

 an obtuse point projecting slightly beyond the 

 membrane. 



The fur is fine, soft, or somewhat silky, and rather 

 long, of a deep brown or dark reddish-brown colour 

 above, lighter beneath; the ears and membrane 

 dusky. In some individuals the fur is of a light 

 reddish-brown, or even dull yellowish -red. Over 

 the eye is a small prominence, bearing a tuft of 

 longish hairs, two of which are longer and bristly; 

 and the space about the eye is usually rather bare. 



The teeth are : four incisors above, six beneath, 

 the latter three-lobed ; two canine teeth above, two 

 below, and ten grinders in each jaw. The oesophagus 

 is three quarters of an inch in length ; the stomach 

 oblong; the intestine four inches long, of nearly 

 equal diameter in its whole length ; the anus with 

 four valvular tubercles. The kidneys are large and 

 flattened ; and in autumn there is an immense accu- 

 mulation of fat between the skin and muscles over 

 the whole body, but more especially on the flanks, 

 and towards the posterior extremity. The follow- 

 ing are the dimensions of two adult individuals : 



