LONG-EARED BAT. 49 



Its period of activity begins about the third Week in April and 

 lasts until near the end of September, when it goes into hiber- 

 nation, but a little mild weather in winter will wake it up and 

 bring it out for a flight. According to the observations of Mr. 

 C. B. Moffat it flies for about a hundred minutes just after sunset, 

 and for a similar period just before sunrise. Its food consists 

 of flies, beetles, and moths. Dr. Alcock, who has brought this 

 Bat down by shooting it an hour after sunset, found it so 

 crammed with food that it did not appear physically possible 

 for it to feed longer. 



The distribution of Leisler's Bat does not agree at all with 

 that of its near ally, the Great Bat. It has been obtained 

 chiefly in the Valley of the Avon (Warwickshire) ; also in 

 Yorkshire, Cheshire, and Norfolk. It does not appear to occur 

 in Scotland ; but it is reported as abundant in several parts of 

 Ireland. It is a purely European species, occurring only from 

 Central Europe westward. 



Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus, Linn.). 



The Long-eared is probably the best-known of our Bats 

 owing to the very distinctive character afforded by the huge 

 ears, which are as long as the forearm and longer than the 

 body. In addition, it is one of the commonest and most 

 widely distributed of our Bats, and likely to be met with any- 

 where in the British Islands. It is, however, rarer in the North 

 of Scotland than elsewhere. It is found nearly all over Europe. 



The large and mobile ears give this Bat an appearance of 

 size not justified by its small and delicate build. The head and 

 body combined measure less than two inches, whilst the tail is 

 only a fraction less than that measurement The fact that no 

 other European Bat has such an equipment renders a detailed 

 description superfluous, for the ears at once distinguish this 

 from all the other species. These ears have their bases joined 



A.L. E 



