THE BATS 87 



longer. Only one British example of this bat has 1 been obtained 

 with certainty up to the present time, and that was caught at 

 Plymouth. It was no doubt accidentally introduced by some 

 ship. Its actual area of distribution is confined to Central 

 Europe, Northern Africa, and Temperate Asia. 



GENUS: PTERYGISTES 



This genus differs from the foregoing in the premolar teeth, 



two pairs above and two pairs below. In the upper jaw the 



first premolar is very minute, and is pushed inwards behind 

 the canine. 



GREAT OR NOCTULE BAT (Pterygistes noctula). 



Pterygistes noctula. THE GREAT BAT, OR NOCTULE 



This is the largest of British bats, and the head and body, 

 from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail, are nearly 3 in. 

 long. The tail is another i^- in. The stretch of the wings 

 from tip to tip is sometimes nearly 14 in. long. The head is 

 flat and broad and the muzzle is expanded, the nostrils being 

 very broad, and separated from one another by a large space of 

 tumid skin. The ears are wide apart, somewhat short, but broad 

 and deep. The external margin of the ear has a deep fold near 

 the base, and it is continued downwards below the corners of 

 the mouth. The tragus, or earlet, is short, and is very narrow 

 at its base, but extends into a kidney-shaped lobe of thick skin 

 covered with minute papillae. The accompanying illustration 

 shows the remarkable space in the skull below the nasal opening 



