THE BRITISH MAMMALS : THEIR GENERA AND SPECIES. 73 



confined to the south of England amongst us, but is remarkable 

 for its wide distribution over Europe, Asia, Central Africa, and 

 Northern America, where it ranges from Winnipeg to Guatemala 

 under the name of the Carolina Bat. 



The Parti-coloured Bat has ears about half as long as the face, 

 the inner margin being convex and the outer ending in a wart at the 

 angle of the mouth. The muzzle is not pointed, though the upper 

 lip slightly projects, and the glandular prominences are not con- 

 spicuously large. The tail measures an inch and three-quarters 

 in length, the head and body a quarter of an inch more. The 

 characteristic colour is due to the dark brown hairs of the coat 

 having long white tips, which are of a yellowish tinge on the upper 

 parts and ashy on the under parts. This Bat ranges through 

 Europe to Turkestan, mostly in mountainous districts, but the 

 only unmistakable evidence of its occurrence in this country is 

 afforded by the specimen a-t South Kensington. 



In the Noctule the ears are nearly as broad as long, and when 

 pulled down over the face reach a little below the eyes. They are 

 rather thick and are convex on both sides, the convexity on the inner 

 side ending in a straight run to the tip. The head is .broad, the 

 labial prominences large, and the nostrils wide apart with a hollow 

 space between. The thumb is short, with a short, sharp claw ; the 

 feet are thick, the toes short, and the tip of the tail slightly projects 

 beyond the membrane between the legs. The Noctule sleeps with 

 the tail between the legs instead of curving it backwards and 



NOCTULE. 

 (Vesperugo noctula.) 



upwards. In colour it is yellowish or reddish brown, lighter below, the 

 hairs on the upper part being paler at the base than at the tip. It is 

 a large bat, its wing-spread being thirteen or fourteen inches, its head 

 and body measuring three inches and its tail about two. From its flying 

 high Gilbert White concluded that it was " supported by some sorts of 

 high-flying gnats, scarabs, or phaelaenae," which is true, as it feeds 

 mainly on beetles which fly high, and in quest of them the Noctule 

 is generally found in the neighbourhood of trees. It ranges from 

 the north of England to Japan, South Africa, and the Malay 

 Archipelago, 



