30 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



tor, it is never seen abroad in cold and damp evenings, or at 

 such times as a strong wind is blowing, preferring for its 

 aerial peregrinations those nights which are warm and still; 

 when, in the full summer, its favourite haunts are gardens, 

 orchards, and the outskirts of woods. During the daytime it 

 generally takes up its abode in the hollow stems of trees, and 

 even in winter never congregates in large colonies. As its 

 slow and fluttering flight lacks the sharp turns and twists 

 characterising the members of the genus Vesperugo generally, 

 it is evident that, as regards habits, the Serotine is an alto- 

 gether aberrant and peculiar species. It may be added that 

 it is the only truly British representative of the sub-genus Ves- 

 peniS) in which the upper pre-molars are reduced to a single 

 pair, and the wings arise from the base of the toes ; the next 

 species being scarcely entitled to rank as a member of the 

 British fauna. 



II. THE PARTI-COLOURED BAT. VESPERUGO DISCOLOR. 



Vespertilio discolor, Natterer in Kuril's Deutsch. Flederm. p. 43 



(1817). 



Scotophilus discolor , Gray, Mag. Zool. vol. ii. p. 297 (1838); 



Bell, British Quadrupeds 2nd ed. p. 31 (1874). 

 Vesperugo discolor, Keyserling and Blasius, Wirbelthiere Europ. 



p. 50 (1840) ; Dobson, Cat. Chiroptera Brit. Mus. p. 204 



(1878). 



Belonging to the same sub-division of the genus as the 

 Noctule, the Parti-coloured Bat may be distinguished not only 

 by its inferior dimensions, but likewise by the earlet, or tragus, 

 being relatively shorter and expanded above, so that its greatest 

 width is above the margin of its inner margin. The additional 

 lobe of membrane near the spur on the ankle is also broader 

 and more distinct. Colour of upper-parts dark brown, with 



