TYPICAL GROUP. 275 



abundance of these insects on some of the warmer days of winter is probably the 

 reason why one or more of the bats may be occasionally seen flying about at that 

 season. In captivity this bat will readily eat meat ; and it is said that it will at 

 times visit larders for the sake of food of that nature. 



In India the place of this bat is taken by a closely allied species, the Indian 

 pipistrelle (V. abramus), which also ranges as far east as Northern Australia, and, 

 in summer at least, as far west as Central Europe. It may be at once distinguished 

 from the common species by the outer margin of the ear being straight, instead of 

 concave, below the tip. As the pipistrelle is the commonest bat in England, so its 

 Oriental representative is probably the most abundant species in India, where it 

 ranges from the Himalaya to Ceylon. Its habits are described as being similar 

 to those of the ordinary species, the same partiality for human dwellings being 

 exhibited, and the flight being characterised by similar sharp doublings and turns. 

 Among the representatives of Vesperugo, our remarks will, in 

 the main, be restricted to those found in the British Isles ; and we 

 accordingly pass to the consideration of a species much larger than the preceding, 

 and known as the great bat, or noctule ( V. noctule). This species, of which we give 

 a figure on the next page, belongs to the same section of the genus as the pipistrelle, 

 and is perhaps the best known of the larger British bats. Apart from its larger 

 size, it is distinguished from the pipistrelle by its broad and rounded ears, which are 

 set very far apart on the head. The colour of the upper-parts is yellowish-brown, 

 only very slightly paler below; but some examples have been described with a 

 reddish tinge. The length of the head and body is 3 inches, and the spread of the 

 wings from 13 inches to more than 14. This bat has a wider distribution than the 

 pipistrelle, being found not only all over Europe and the temperate regions of Asia, 

 but likewise ranging into Africa north of the Sahara, and also occurring in Java 

 and Sumatra, and entering the confines of our Indian dominions in Nipal and 

 Sikhim, and not improbably Kandahar. 



The noctule diflers from the pipistrelle in being a tree-haunting bat, and 

 likewise a gregarious species. In winter, however, its retreat may be either in 

 hollow trees, or under roofs and eaves of houses, in which situations numbers may 

 frequently be found together. It appears early in the evening, and its flight is 

 particularly strong and rapid, and takes place high in the air. Its favourite food 

 consists of cockchafers and fernchafers, in pursuit of which it may be seen on 

 summer evenings hawking round large trees, especially oaks. An unpleasant 

 odour is characteristic of this bat. 



" The noctule," writes Bell, " is essentially adapted for the capture and mas- 

 tication of coleopterous insects. The broad muzzle and strong jaws are found 

 quite equal to the reduction of the stubborn elytra of beetles as large as the 

 cockchafer (of which, according to Kuhl, he will consume as many as thirteen, 

 one after the other), and the wings are in no way deficient in power when in 

 pursuit of these insects. During the fine midsummer evenings, when the cock- 

 chafers have become abundant, and you hear them humming on every side, the 

 noctule is in his glory. Then he flies high and straight, and you hear his shrill 

 but clear voice as he passes overhead, interrupting himself to dart at some prey, 

 and then passing on. But an observer will not watch his movements long on 



