PIPISTRELLE 19 



COMMON BAT OR PIPISTRELLE. 



VESPERUGO PIPISTRELLUS (Schreb.). 



Bats are familiar objects in almost every part of the district, 

 as they flit to and fro in the twilight of summer evenings ; 

 and, of the three kinds positively known to occur, the 

 Pipistrelle is undoubtedly by far the most abundant and 

 generally distributed. I have examined examples from many 

 localities ; and, by its size and its style of flight, have identified 

 it on the wing hundreds of times. Some years ago I captured 

 about a dozen in a few minutes with a landing-net at 

 Macbiehill in Peeblesshire, and in May 1890 I secured nearly 

 as many with an insect-net at Gosford in East Lothian. I 

 have also recently netted it at Duddingston Loch. For the 

 opportunity of examining fresh specimens from the following 

 localities, my best thanks are due to the persons whose names 

 are given after each, namely : Dunbar and East Linton, in 

 Haddingtonshire (G. Pow) ; Tester, Haddingtonshire (Bruce 

 Campbell) ; Grant's House, Berwickshire (Bruce Campbell) ; 

 Stobo, Peeblesshire (J. Thomson) ; The Inch, Midlothian 

 (T. Speedy) ; Dalmeny Park, Linlithgowshire (Bruce Camp- 

 bell) ; Dunipace, Stirlingshire (J. A. Harvie-Brown) ; Broom- 

 hall, Fifeshire (W. Lumley). 



With us the Pipistrelle's usual period of activity is from 

 April till late in October, 1 but it may be seen on wing in 

 mild weather in every month of the year. On New Year's 

 Day 1883, 1 noticed one flying briskly about Cramond church, 

 and two were seen in Dalmeny Park on 28th January 1891. 

 Occasionally, too, it may be observed abroad at midday. In 



1 One was seen at Dalmeny on 7th November 1891, and I saw one flying 

 briskly near Morningside at noon on 23rd December (a sunny and very 

 frosty day), and again in the evening on 23th February and 19th March 1892. 



