COMMON BAT. 43 



Common Bat (VespertiUc pipistrellus, Schreber) 



The Common Bat is in a general sense familiar to everybody, 

 for it may be seen in the evenings flying everywhere, even in 

 the streets of crowded cities. Its British distribution extends 

 from the South of England to Scotland and the Hebrides and 

 westward to Ireland. Its wider range includes Europe and 

 parts of Asia. It is the smallest of the British Bats. 



In spite of its small size the head and body measure little 

 more than an inch and a half the Common Bat is of robust 

 build, and it has a wing expanse of over eight inches. It has a 

 flat broad head with a blunt muzzle and wide mouth. The 

 short, broad ears are somewhat triangular with blunt tips. The 

 erect, slightly incurved tragus has a rounded tip which does not 

 reach quite to half the height of the ear. There are glandular 

 swellings on the muzzle between the nostril and the small, but 

 rather prominent eye. The tail is little over an inch in length, 

 and the legs also are short. The last joint of the tail is free 

 from the membrane and prehensile, and the Bat makes use of 

 it as a support in crawling up or down. The spur reaches 

 more than half way to the tail. The narrow wing is attached 

 to the middle of the sole of the foot. 



The somewhat silky fur is a reddish-brown on the upper 

 parts, slightly paler beneath. The wing membrane and the 

 ears are blackish. 



It is a very active Bat, flying over farmyards and gardens and 

 about houses, frequently uttering its shrill little squeak as it 

 snaps up the flies and small beetles, pouching and eating them 

 without alighting. It continues its flight all through the night, 

 and has a longer period of activity than any other species, for 

 it leaves its hibernaculum in March and does not retire until 

 winter has begun. Even then, a moderately high mid-day 

 temperature is sufficient to awaken it and bring it out for an 

 hour's hunt. It is this habit that accounts for the letters in the 



