53 



VESPERTILTONIDyE. 



CHETROPTEBA. 



VE^PERTTL TONIDM. 



BECHSTEIN'S BAT. 



Vespertilio Bechsteinii. 



Ears oval, rather loiif^er than the head ; tragus narrow, falcifoi-ni, not half 

 the length of the auricle ; fur reddish grey above, greyish wliite beneath. 



Vespertilio Berlmteiirii, Leisler. Kuhl, Duet. Flederm. p. 30, sp. 2, 



t. xxii. Desmar. Mammal, p. 135. Jknyns, 

 Brit. Vert. p. 21. 



This handsome and striking species is rare in this 

 country, being only known as British from the occur- 

 rence of specimens taken by Mr. Millard in the New 

 Forest, and now in the British Museum. This locality 

 corresponds with its habits as detailed by the Continental 

 naturalists, who state that it resorts exclusively to the 

 hollow trees in the midst of forests, never approaching 

 towns or retiring to buildings. It shuns even all associa- 

 tion with other species of Bats, congregating in small 

 groups of about a dozen, the largest number observed 

 together being thirteen, all of which were females. 



The general resemblance of this species to V. murinus 

 and to V. Nattereri, with both of which it agrees in the 



