8oo 



THE NATURE BOOK 



to that of others. A Bat's normal squeak 

 can be perfectly imitated by striking the 

 edge of a sixpence against a penny. 



The subjoined list is based mainly on 

 the writings of Johnston. Millais, and 

 H. E. Forrest. 



Greater Horseshoe B.\t. — Xose-leaf. 

 Pointed ears. Straight tail. Length 

 (nose-tip to tail-tip) about 4 in. \\'ing 

 stretch lo-J in. Adult red- or grey- 

 brown above, grey below. Immature, 

 grey. Females sometimes golden brown. 

 South and especially S.W. England. 



Lesser Horseshoe 

 Bat. — X o s e - 1 e a 1. 

 Pointed ears. Straight 

 tail. Length about 3 in. 

 Wing stretch 8i in. 

 Grey-brown above, grey 

 below. Immature, grey. 

 Distribution similar to 

 above, but has been re- 

 corded from N. England 

 and Ireland. At rest 

 both the Horseshoes 

 shroud themselves com- 

 pletely in their wings, and 

 resemble chrysalides. 



Barbastelle. — E a r s 

 high and broad, indented 

 on outer, almost touching 

 at inner margins. RucU- 

 mentary nose-leaf. Eye 

 included within the base 

 of the ear. Earlet 

 (tragus) triangular, with 

 semicircular notch on 

 outer border. Length 

 4 in. Wing stretch 10 in. 

 Blackish or deep red- 

 brown. Hairs light at 

 tips. Sparse white hairs on tail mem- 

 brane. S. England. Uncommon. 



Long-Eared Bat. — Ears enormous, 

 often folded back at rest, leaving tragus 

 projecting and conspicuous. Rudimentary 

 nose-leaf. Length 3.V in. Wing stretch 

 10 in. Common everywhere. Arboreal. 

 Often out in day-time. 



Seroti.ve. — Wing membrane rising 

 from half way up the soles of the feet. 

 Tail projecting naked for ^ in. Size large. 

 Length 4J in. Wing stretch 12-13 in. 

 Ears almost as long as head. Tragus 

 narrow at base, then widening, then 

 tapering. Dark brown above, dusky 



the serotine. 



The extension of the winS membrane 

 beyond the ankle and up to the base 

 of the toes can be seen in this pic- 

 ture. 



below Greasy fur. Smelly. Slow, 

 laboured flight on occasion. Often out 

 in day-time. S. and especially S.E. 

 England. 



XoCTULE. — ^^'ing membranes rising 

 from ankles. Size large. Length 5 in. 

 Wing stretch 13-15 in., but fingers com- 

 paratively short. Ears short. Tragus 

 short and squarish. Rich warm-brown 

 body fur. Smelly. Common in S., rare 

 in X"". L'nknown in Scotland or Ireland. 



Leisi.er's Bat. — Smaller than, but 

 like preceding, and perhaps should be 

 regarded as a local 

 variety. It is said that 

 the lower incisors are 

 more crowded than in 

 the Xoctule, and that 

 the hair is hghter at the 

 tips. Takes the place 

 ol the Xoctule in Ireland. 

 Pipistrelle. — The 

 coiiinion Bat. Small. 

 Length 3 in. Wing 

 stretch 8^ in. Face 

 covered with short fur. 

 Great \'ariation of colour 

 from russet to pale 

 brown. Thirty-six teeth. 

 Whiskered Bat. — 

 \^ery small. Length 

 2 1 in. Wing stretch 

 8i in. Upper incisors 

 diverge laterally. Ears 

 with strong indentation 

 in middle of outer bor- 

 der. Tragus long and 

 straight - edged. Face 

 co\-cred with long hair. 

 Generally distributed. 

 Thirty-eight teeth. 

 Daubexton's Bat. — Very large feet. 

 Length 3:| in. Wing stretch g in. Light- 

 coloured breast. Fond of skimming 

 across water. Generally distributed. 



X'-VTTEREr's B.\t. — Interfemoral mem- 

 brane bracket-shaped and its margins 

 bordered with short stiff hairs. Light- 

 coloured breast. Length 3';.; in. ^^'ing 

 stretch ii in. Tragus very long, straight, 

 and sharp. Generally distributed. 



Bechsteix's Bat. — Ears large and of 

 a characteristic shape, bending outwards 

 at an angle of 78° and tiu'ning upwards 

 to the perpendicular (Millais). Length 

 3.1 in. Wing stretch 11 m. Short tail. 



