62 



Div. 1, YERTEBEATE ANIMALS.— MAMMALIA. 



Class 1. 



Vespcrtilio. Tlie E.^yptian species is represented to have small eyes ; but that figured by Gen. Hardwicke (Lin. 

 Trans,, vol. xiv. p. 525) possesses eyes proportionally as large as in a Squirrel, and we have examined skins of 

 another species (chinchilla-grey above, pure white beneath), in which the same character must have been con- 

 spicuous.] 



The Mormopes (Mormoops. Leacli) — 

 Have four incisors to each jaw, the superior rather large ; the inferior trilobate : their skull (fig. 17) is 

 singularly raised like a pyramid above the muzzle ; and on each side of the nose is a triangular 

 membrane, "which extends to the ear. 



The species M. malnvilUl, Leach, is from Java. [It has since been received, together with two others of the 

 same form (but considered by Gray as separable), from Jamaica; so that the former locality may be presumed to 

 be wrongly assigned.] 



The ordixauy Bats [to which this term may be restricted] {Vespertilio, Cuv. aud Geof.) — 

 Have no leaf or other distinctive mark on the muzzle, and the ears separated; four incisors above, of 

 which the two middle ones are apart, and six below, sharp-edged, and somewhat notched '^ : theii* tail 

 is comprehended in the membrane. 



This subgenus is the most numerous of all, and universally distributed. Tliere are six or seven species 

 in France [more than double that number. Thirteen have now been met with in England, including the Baibastellc 

 aud OreiUard. The sexes and young of several congregate separately.f] 



• M. Koussean, in a memoir on the anatomy of I'csp. murinus, 

 ■tattH, of the two dentitions of this animal, that the lirst is developed 

 before birth, the second not till some time aftenvards. The fa-tal teeth, 

 he remarks, arc twenty-two iu number ; namely, four incisors, two 

 canines, and four molars to the upper jaw, and six incisors, two 

 canines, and four molars to the lower one. The permanent teeth, in 

 the adult, are thirty-eight in number ; of which twenty-two should 

 replace the fa-tal or temporary teeth ; the sixteen others successively 

 •hoTT themselves, later as their position is further backward. The 

 permanent teeth do not wait to appear until their predecessors 

 are shed, whence at a certain epoch forty or fifty teeth, or even more, 

 may be counted in the same individual: this last fact we have ob- 

 ■erved in the instance of the common l-'itchct Weasel.— Ep. 



t To facilitate the researches of the British naturalist, our known 

 Indigenous species may be briefly indicated . it is not unlikely that 

 more remain to he discovered, as but few persons have hitherto be- 

 stowed much attention on these lucifugal animals. 

 The British species fall under two natural divisions. 

 In the first, the tra^s is more or less rounded at the tip, short, and 

 a little thickened in its substance ; there arc four pairs of false molars 

 to each jaw. Such arc 



The Xoctulc Bat (A', moc/h/a).— Of n bright reddish-brown; the 

 racrabr.itic dusky. Length of the head and body nearly 3 inches : ex- 

 tent 13 or 14 inches. Ears oval-triangular, shorter than the head ; 

 the tragus not one-third the lenglli of the ear, arcuated, and termi- 

 nated in a broad rounded head; muztlc short, broad, and blunt. 

 This species is not uncommon, and is even numerous in some 

 dUtricts : its flight is lofty, whence designated alt'tvul'ius by White. 



llairy-armcd Bat {y.Le'itleri), — The fur long, bright chestnut above, 

 brownixh grey beneath , under surface of the Hying membrane with a 

 broad band of hair along the foic-arm. Length of the head and body 

 21^ inches ; extent 11^ inches. The cars oval-triangular, shorter than 

 the bead ; iragui barely one-third the length of the ear, terminating 

 Id a rounded head. But one Bpccimcn is known to have been killed in 

 England. 



Particoloured Bat (/'. t/iicofor).— Fur reddish-brown above, with 

 the tips of the hair» while; beneath, sullied white. Length of the 

 head and body 2"Vi Inches ; extent lOMj inches. Ears about two- 

 tbirdi the length nf the head, oval, with a projecting lobe on the 

 Inntr margin; the trngus of nearly equal breadth throughout, rather 

 more than one-lhird the length of the car. It inhabit<t towns, and 

 corner abroad early Id the evening. The only native specimen was 

 taken at Plymouth. 



Pipistrcllc Bat (I'. ptpUlrrtlut, crroncouitly termed I\ viuriuui by 

 British writers till very lately). — Tliis small species Is the commonest 

 of any ; It is dark reddish brown, paler beneath. Length to the tail 

 IVi Inch ; extent 8ti inches. Ears two-thirds the length of the head, 

 oval-trinngular, notched on the outer margin ; tr.iguH nearly half as 

 lung ai the car, alniost straight, thickened, obtuse, and rounded at 

 the aprx. It runs with celerity, carrying \\\ head near the ground, 

 from which It rWc* with c^sc; and is active during the greater part 

 •f the year. The Pygmy Bat [f. jiyi;tntrit$. Leach,) is evidently a 

 jonng animal, and probably of this species. 

 Tnc next lias only two pairs of superior false moUrs. 

 The Seroiine Bat (f^, teruthiuf). — Fur (hestnut-brown above, yel- 

 Unish-grey beneath. Length cf the head and body 2^ inches; ex* 



tent l-i/i inches. The cars oval triangular ; shorter than ibe head ; 

 tragus semicordate, little more than ons-third the Icngtli of the ear. 

 The Serotine freiiuents uniuhabited bouses, theruofs of chnrclies, &c. 

 and sometimes hoUuw trees; flies steadily and rather slow, and ij 

 occasionally taken near London. 



In the second group, the tragus is relatively longer, thin, narrow, 

 uid more or less pointed; and there are six pairs of false molars to 

 each jaw. 



Mouse-coloured Bat (/^. mnrinus). — The fur reddish-brown above, 

 dull white beneath. Length of the head and boily3l;j inches ; spread 

 of wing 15 inclies. Ears oval, broad at tlie base, becoming narrower 

 towards the apex, as long as the head ; tragus falciform, the inner 

 margin straiglit, not quite half the length of the car. This Bat is very 

 common in France and (iermany, but only one instaace has been re- 

 corded of its occuiTe[ice in Britain. 



Bcclistcin's Bat {F", Uechsteinu). — Fur reddish-grey above, greyish- 

 white beneath. Dimensions, to the insertion of the tail, 2Vv inches ; 

 11 inches across. Edrs oval, rather longer thaii tlie head ; tragus 

 narrow, falciform, not half the length of the ear. The thumb longer 

 than in the others. A woodland species, found occasionally in the 

 New Forest, Hants. 



Fringe-tailed Bat ( K. Natlereri). — Fur brown above, whitish 

 beneath. Lcngtli, to the tail, nearly 2 inches; extent 11 inchi-s. 

 Ears oblong-oviil, about as long as the head ; tragus narrow lanceo- 

 late, nearly two-thirds the length of the ear; intcrfennjral membrane 

 with the margin crenate and stillly ciliated, from the end of the spur 

 or calcancum to the tail, lias been met with in several parts of the 

 country. 



Notch-eared Bat (r". emarginatiis, Geof., not of Jenyns). — The fur 

 reddish-grey aliove, ash-coloured beneath. Length of the head and 

 body two inches ; extent 9 inclies. The cars oblong, as long as the 

 head, with a notch and a small lobe on the outer margin ; tragus awl- 

 shaped, a little cun*ed outward, more than half the length of the ear. 

 One was killed near Dover. 



Daubcnton's Bat {f. Dnubentoniif — emargintttus of Jenjns). — Fur 

 soft, plentiful, brownish-black at the base ; tlie surface ^eyish-red 

 above, ash-grey hencath. Length of the head and body 2 inches ; 

 extent 9 inches. The cars ovnl, three-fourths the length of the head, 

 very slightly notched on the outer margin, with a fold on the inner 

 margin at the base ; tragus narro\\'-lanceolatc, rather obtuse, bending 

 a little inward, half the length of the ear ; tail longer than the body. 

 Has been taken in several localities, and flies rapidly near the ground, 

 or over stagnant water. 



Whiskered Bat ( f. f«?/5'.;ciM7/.0,— Fur blackish -chestnut above, 

 dusky beneath ; the upper lip furnished with a mvustachc of long line 

 hair. Length of tlie head and body 1?^ inch ;jEXlent8vi>inclics. Ears 

 oblong, bending outward, shorter than the head, notchtd on the outer 

 margin ; the tragus half the length of the car, lanceolate, a little ck- 

 pmded at the outer margin near the base. Has also occurred iu 

 different parts of the country. 



The above characters are chiefly compiled from Bell's British ti'»ad 

 rupeds, where figures ami minute descriptions arc given of c^cl <*f 

 them, together with full-sized representations of their heads. It v» ▼ 

 be remarked that only the la^t five arc retained in FcxpcrtUio by Mr. 

 Gray, the otters bciag included in his Scotopfiilus.—Eo, 



