VESPERTILIO.] MAMMALIA PRIMATES. 25 



quarters of a line ; length of the fore-arm one inch two lines ; of the 

 thumb one line and three quarters : extent of wing eight inches four 

 lines. 



DESCRIPT. Resembling the Noctule in many of its characters but 

 much smaller : head depressed in front, convex behind ; muzzle short in 

 the adult state, somewhat elongated when young ; nose obtuse at the ex- 

 tremity, and _ slightly emarginated between the nostrils; a protuberant 

 swelling on each side of the face above the upper lip formed by a con- 

 geries of sebaceous glands: eyes very small; above each an elevated 

 wart furnished with a few black hairs : ears broad, oval-triangular, rather 

 more than half as long as the head, with their external margins deeply 

 notched about midway down : tragus half the length of the auricle, 

 nearly straight, oblong, with a blunt rounded head : tail as long as the 

 fore-arm. Fur rather long and silky, yellowish red on the forehead and 

 at the base of the ears, on the rest of the upper parts reddish brown, with 

 the lower half of each hair dusky ; on the under parts wholly dusky, 

 except the extreme tips of the hairs which are of the same colour as 

 above, but paler. Young specimens generally brownish gray, sometimes 

 black, without any tinge of red. Nose, lips, ears, and membranes 

 dusky. 



The most common species in this country, although for a long time 

 confounded with the V. murinus described above. Congregates in large 

 numbers in the crevices of old walls, decayed door-frames, &c. Resists 

 cold more than the other species, continuing on wing till near the end of 

 the year. Is first seen about the beginning of March. 



33. V. pygmceus. Leach. (Pygmy Bat.) Forehead 

 with an impressed longitudinal furrow : ears a little shorter 

 than the head, broad at the base, obtuse and rounded at the 

 extremity ; tragus linear : fur above brown, darkest on the 

 head and dorsal line ; paler beneath. 



V. pygmaeus, Leach, in Zool. Journ. vol. i. p. 560. pi. 22. 



DIMENS. Length of the head and body one inch two lines and a half; 

 of the head five lines ; of the tail nine lines ; of the ears four lines : 

 extent of wing five inches four lines. 



DESCRIPT. Differs from the last species in its smaller dimensions, as 

 well as in its relative proportions. Head high; the forehead marked 

 with a longitudinal furrow; muzzle short and obtuse, nearly of equal 

 breadth throughout ; nostrils small, opening laterally : ears somewhat 

 shorter than the head, broad at the base, obtuse and rounded at the 

 extremity: anterior margin nearly straight, posterior slightly concave 

 and convolute : tragus about half the length of the auricle, regularly 

 linear, simple and rounded at the extremity : tail as long as the body 

 exclusively of the head ; the tip naked, protruding one line beyond the 

 interfemoral membrane. Fur short and delicate, dark brown on the upper 

 parts, the colour being deepest on the head and on the highest part of 

 the back along the spine ; inclining to gray underneath : flying mem- 

 brane dark brown. LEACH. 



A new species discovered by Dr Leach at Spitchweek, near the Forest 

 of Dartmoor, where it is said to be extremely common. Has not hitherto 

 occurred elsewhere. 



