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THE BARBASTELLE BAT*. 



OF the peculiar habits of life and economy of 

 these Bats, we hitherto know but little. Even the 

 naturalists of France and Italy, in some parts of 

 which countries they are usually found in great 

 numbers., have interested themselves only in de- 

 scribing their figure and external appearance. 

 There is, however, reason to suppose, that, in 

 most respects, they have a near resemblance to the 

 common species. Yet they are easily distinguished 

 from the latter, even on wing, i$ the early part of 

 the evening, by their superior size, and their much 

 darker colour. 



Very few Barbastelle Bats have been noticed 

 in England. The first discovery of the species, in 

 our island, was by Colonel Montagu, in the year 

 1800. He had one, (supposed to be a female,) 

 brought to him, which had be^n caught on wing 

 in the village of Milton, in Devonshire; and in 

 August, 1805, he procured a male specimen, that 

 had been found adhering to a small tree, near 

 Kingsbridge. About the year 1802, there was one 

 found, amongst some Horse-shoe Bats, in the gun- 

 powder mills at Dartford. This was sent to Mr. 

 Sowerby of Lambeth, who kept it alive for some 

 time; and its stuffed skin now forms an interesting 

 article in his museum. 



* Vcspertilio Barbastellus. Lijinceus. La Barbastelle. Biiffbn. 

 For the description of this Bat, see the Synopsis, p. 7, No. 4. 



THE 



