78 VESPERTILIONID^. 



colour, and the membranes lighter, than the European 

 ones, which they otherwise resemble. 



The head is flattened ; the muzzle rather long and 

 projecting, horizontal, and slightly emarginate ; nostrils 

 with prominent edges, the openings lateral, passing back- 

 wards and outwards into a small fossa. The ears are 

 enormously large, oval-oblong, semi-transparent, and 

 transversely plicated ; the outer margin commences 

 immediately behind the angle of the mouth, and the 

 inner third of its breadth is supported by three extremely 

 thin slender cartilages, the elasticity of which must tend 

 to restore the ear to its erect position after being turned 

 under the arm during sleep : these cartilages extend 

 nearly the whole length of the ear, and the inner margin 

 is bent back from the middle cartilage, forming a broad 

 longitudinal fold, which is ciliated at its edge, as well as 

 along the carina formed by its duplicature. About a line 

 from its base is a small lobe projecting laterally, so that 

 when the ears are erect the two lobes touch each other : 

 this lobe is hairy, thicker and more opaque than the rest 

 of the ear. Immediately beneath it the ears are united 

 over the forehead, forming an angular notch at the point 

 of their junction. Tragus elongate, lanceolate, rather 

 obtuse, bending very slightly outwards, about two-fifths 

 the length of the ear. Eyes lateral, conspicuous, placed 

 about a line anterior to the inner angle of the base of 

 the tragus. The body appears rather broad, from the 

 fur extending much over the shoulders. Tail nearly as 

 long as the head and body, and longer than the fore-arm ; 

 projecting about a line beyond the margin of the in- 

 terfemoral membrane. Spur extending fully half way 

 from the tarsus to the tail. Fur rather long, thick, soft, 

 and silky ; above, lightish brown with a reddish tinge, 

 which is more conspicuous in young specimens, the 



