SHREWS, MOLES AND BATS 397 



kinds, particularly gnats, are captured by this little Bat, and in 

 captivity it will readily eat raw meat. 



The Noctule (P. noctula), the Long-Eared Bat (Plecotus auritus), 

 the Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrum equinum), and the 

 Barbastelle (B. barbastella) are other English species, the last being 

 somewhat rare. 



The Noctule is a member of the genus Pipistrellus. It is dis- 

 tinguished from the Pipistrella by its larger size the Noctule 

 measures three inches and has a wing expanse of from thirteen to 

 fourteen inches, while its smaller relative is less than two inches long 

 with a wing spread of eight inches or a little more. In its habits the 

 Noctule is gregarious; it haunts the neighbourhood of trees, and 

 passes the day in hollow tree trunks or under the eaves of houses. 

 Cockchafers appear to be its favourite food, and on summer even- 

 ings it may be frequently seen hawking after the insects round 

 the oak-trees. 



The Long-Eared Bat is a small species, but the ears, which are 

 twice the length of the head, make it appear larger than it actually 

 is. Although not uncommon it is not so often seen as many other 

 Bats, as it comes out later than most of the species in search of prey. 

 When resting this Bat usually folds its long ears away beneath its 

 wings. 



The Greater Horseshoe Bats are distinguished by the curious 

 leaf-like appendage on the nose, which has somewhat the form of 

 a horseshoe. This peculiar appendage is possessed in a greater 

 or lesser degree by a number of species known as " Leaf -Nosed 

 Bats." The Lesser Horseshoe Bat (R. hipposiderus) is also found 

 in England. 



The Fruit Bats, which are confined to the warmer regions of 

 the Old World, are much larger than the insect-eaters. There 

 are many points of difference in the structure of the two groups, 

 one of the chief being in the formation of the teeth. In the Insect- 

 Eating Bats the molar teeth are armed with sharp cusps, while the 

 Fruit Bats have smooth-crowned molar teeth divided by a deep 

 groove, perfectly adapted for crushing up the soft, pulpy fruit on 

 which they feed. 



The largest of the Fruit Bats are the " Flying Foxes " (genus 

 Pteropus), so called from their long, fox-like muzzles. The Malay 

 Fox Bat (P. edulis) is the largest of all known Bats, and has a 



