106 BRITISH MAMMALS 



are able to droop, and even to be turned under the arm during 

 sleep. The ear conch is silky in surface and transparent, and can 

 be thrown into elegant curves and folds. The eyes in this bat 

 are well developed. They are placed not far from the corner of 

 the mouth. The openings of the nostrils are at the extremity 

 of the muzzle on the upper surface, in front of rather deep 

 grooves, which are naked and nearly semicircular, and which are 

 bordered by raised, rounded edges. The hair is long over the 

 shoulders and thick, soft, and silky about all the body. It is a 

 pale reddish-brown above and brownish-gray below, the basal part 

 of the hairs being blackish. The flying membrane is blackish, 

 with a slight red tinge. Old bats of this species tend to become 

 rather gray in colour. As regards the teeth, the upper incisors 

 are separated by a wide gap in the middle, 

 and grow close to the canines. There are three 

 pairs of incisors in the lower jaw as against two 

 pairs in the upper jaw. The total number of the 

 teeth is thirty-six. This is because there are three 

 P airs of premolars in the lower jaw, as against 

 (3 times natural size), only two pairs in the allied genus Barbastella. 

 But for the loss of a pair of premolars in the upper jaw, the 

 dental formula would be the same as in Myotis. 



This bat apparently brings forth its young in the month of 

 June, a single one at a birth. It frequents for its retreat caverns, 

 buildings, and hollow trees, especially affecting the inside of roofs 

 of houses. In winter they pack themselves between the tiles, or 

 in holes or crevices of timber. This bat rises readily from the 

 ground, but crawls rather slowly and awkwardly over a flat 

 surface, not being able to run quickly, for instance, like the 

 pipistrelle. In the case of the long-eared bat the head and 

 chest are raised, and the body is jerked forwardly from side to 

 side. It moves the fore feet alternately, and endeavours to 

 adhere to the slightest roughness or point of vantage into which 

 it can stick the claws of its thumbs or toes. When walking it 

 generally turns the great ear right back along the sides, while the 

 tragus, or earlet, falls forward, so that very often in this attitude 



