52 LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



the ankle, and the presence of a number of long hair^ on the 

 face, extending down to and covering the upper lip, will suffice 

 to distinguish the present species from all the other British 

 Bats. The ears are as long as the head, and their outer margins 

 strongly convex in the lower half. In colour the fur is brown, 

 with a more or less rufescent tinge above, and greyish on the 

 under-parts; the bases of all the hairs being dark brown or 

 black. Length of head and body usually about ij inch ; of 

 tail, if inch. 



Distribution. — This Bat ranges over the greater part of Europe, 

 extending from Ireland in the west, to Central Russia in the 

 east, and from Finland in the north to Spain in the south ; it 

 is likewise found over a large portion of Asia, having been 

 recorded from Syria, Nipal, Sikhim, and Pekin. It likewise 

 inhabits Africa north of the Sahara. In England, although 

 local, it does not appear to be rare, having been recorded by 

 Jenyns from Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, by Yarrell 

 from Colchester, by Bell from Chiselhurst in Kent and from 

 Warwickshire, by Montagu Browne from Leicestershire, and by 

 Macpherson from the Lake District ; while in Dobson's "Cata- 

 logue of Chiroptera " examples are mentioned from the Isle of 

 Wight and Hastings. Although not included by Thompson 

 in his account of Irish Mammals, it is stated by Kinahan to 

 have been obtained from county Clare ; but it appears to be 

 unknown in Scotland. 



Habits.— Essentially a solitary species, although occasionally 

 seen in small companies attracted by an abundance of food, 

 the Whiskered Bat appears to frequent, for the purposes of 

 hibernation, either hollow trees, the roofs of buildings, or 

 caverns; the specimens alluded to above from Colchester 

 and Chiselhurst having been taken in chalk-caves. It makes 

 its appearance early in the evening, and flies swiftly in a mannei 

 very similar to the Pipistrelle ; it often exhibits a preference 



