20 LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



IL LESSER HORSE-SHOE BAT. RHINOLOPHUS HIPPOSIDERUS. 



Noctilio hipposideros^ Bechstein, Naturgeschicte Deutschland's 



p. 1194 (1801). 

 Rhinolophus hipposideros. Leach, Zool, Miscell. vol. iii. p. 2 



(1817); Bell, British Quadrupeds 2nd ed. p. 96 (1874); 



Dobson, Cat. Chiroptera Brit. Mus. p. 117 (1878). 

 Rhinolophus hipposiderusy Blanford, Faun. Brit. Ind. Mamm. 



p. 277 (1891). 

 Characters — Size small ; second upper pre-molar tooth sepa- 

 rated from the canine by a distinct interval, in the middle of 

 which is the minute anterior pre-molar; second lower pre-molar 

 placed nearly in the line of the other teeth, in the angle 

 between the two adjacent teeth. Ears rather shorter than the 

 head, sharply pointed, with the outer margin deeply excavated, 

 and separated from the large anti-tragus by a deep angular 

 notch ; posterior nose-leaf longer than broad, with the sides 

 slightly emarginate, and the extremity blunt ; lower lip with a 

 single median vertical groove. General colour light brown, 

 with the under-parts light greyish-brown; young individuals 

 being frequently darker than the adult. Length of head and 

 body about 1% inch; of tail, i^ inch. 



Distribution. — The range of this species is not quite so ex- 

 tensive as that of the last, since in Africa it appears to be only 

 known from the north-eastern regions ; in Europe it extends, 

 however, somewhat more to the north, reaching as far as the 

 Baltic. First recognised as an English species in Wiltshire, 

 this Bat resembles the last in being mainly confined to the 

 southern counties. Unlike the last, however, it has been 

 taken in Ireland, where it occurs in the counties of Galway 

 and Clare. In the latter county it was found hibernating in 

 caves among plantations, the entrances to which were more or 

 less thickly hung with plants ; and in all cases the two sexes 

 occurred in separate colonies. 



