SEROTINE. 45 



The dark brown fur of the upper parts is soft and dense ; 

 behind the shoulders the hairs have buffy tips. On the under- 

 side the fur is somewhat lighter. There is little extension of 

 fur on the wing, except a line of down on the under surface of 

 the forearm. The membrane is attached to the base of the 

 toes. The head and body measure about three inches, and the 

 tail slightly exceeds two inches, the last joint being quite free 

 of the membrane. The expanse of the wings is fourteen and a 

 half inches. There are prominent glandular swellings on the 

 muzzle. The ear is about three-quarters of an inch long ; the 

 short tragus less than half the length of ear has a straight 

 front border and a curved hind border, with rounded tip. The 

 canines and the inner incisors of the upper jaw are noticeably 

 large and strong. Dental formula : i , c \, p J, m = 32. 



The Serotine makes its appearance in public about sunset, 

 apparently retiring early and flying again in the early morning. 

 It frequents glades in woods, and preys upon beetles and moths. 

 In May and June large numbers of cockchafers fall victims to 

 it, and in July and August in Kent and Sussex it plays havoc 

 with the local Brown-tail Moth. In the early part of its season 

 it flies at a low height, but later it prefers an altitude between 

 thirty and forty feet, from which, however, it frequently descends 

 to the ground. The change is, no doubt, connected with the 

 seasonal succession of insects with different habits. It is a 

 sociable species, and when it retires to holes or roofs for its 

 daytime rest it is usually in company. Its hibernation begins 

 at the end of October. Its voice is a squeak. 



The Parti-coloured Bat (Vespertilio viurinus, Linn.) is some- 

 times enumerated among British Bats, but on the strength of 

 only two specimens captured in this country, in the " 'thirties " 

 of last century. As one of these was taken at Plymouth and 

 the other at Yarmouth, it is reasonable to suppose that they 



