272 



BATS. 



abruptly truncated and marked by a gi'oove leading up each side to tlie nostiils ; 

 the latter being situated in a depression void of Iiair on the upper surface of the 

 muzzle. The black hair on the somewhat swollen cheeks also adds to the peculiarity 

 of the physiognomy : while the ears ai'e relatively broad, and nearly equal in length 

 to tlie head. The long f\ir is darker than that of an\- other European bat, and on 

 the upper-parts is brownish-black, witli the points of the haii-s lighter ; while on 

 the uuder-paiis the light tips of the hairs are longer. The length of the head md 

 body is 2 inches, and that of the ears half an inch. One white example of this bat 

 has been recorded, and also another in which, while the head and neck were of the 

 normal tint, the body was white. 



Contrary to the habits of the long-eared bat, the barbastelle is a solitary species, 

 both when in repose and during active life. " If," observe the authors of the second 

 edition of Bell's British Quadrupeds, "\xx a twilight sti-oll about midsummer, a 

 pei-son finds himself in close proximity with a bat of somewhat thick and clumsy 

 form, but of rather small size, whose flight is so desultor\- that it appears to be 

 flapping lazily about hither and thither, seemingly without purpose, and intruding 

 so closely that the flutter of its wings may be heard, and even the cool air thrown 

 by their movement felt upon the cheek, it may with almost certainty be regarded 

 as the barbastelle. Although there is no English bat which resembles the barbastelle 

 in its mode of flight, yet in choice of situation there are several. Where the 

 whiskered bat and pipistrelle are seen, the barbastelle may be seen also ; but, having 

 been once observed, it will pi-obably be useless to make search again at the same 

 place. Equally uncertain is its diurnal retreat ; most likely not the same place for 

 long together, as we have found it in places where it could not have rested the daj* 

 previously. A cre\nce in a wall or tree, the spaces between the raftei-s and tiles of 

 a cowshed, the timber over a sawpit, the thatch of a shed in a brickyard, or behind 

 a cottage window-shutter, are suitable places of repose for the barbastelle, in all of 

 which situations we have met with it, and always alone." The barbastelle appeai-s 

 earlier in the evening than the loug-eared bat, and probably retires as the night 

 advances. 



As we have already mentioned, the genus Synotus resembles Plecotus in being 

 represented only by two si^ecies. Whereas, however, the second species of long- 

 eared bat is North American, the second kind of barbastelle is a Himalayan speciea 

 The Himalayan barbastelle (iS'. darjdingensis) is distinguished from its Eui-opean 

 congener by its larger ears, which lack the projecting lobe found on the outer 

 margin of those of the latter. This bat appears to be common in the Himalaj^a, 

 and has been captured in localities so far apart from one another as Gilgit and 

 Darjiling. It is generally found at altitudes varying from about five thousand to 

 eight thousand feet above the sea. In habits the Himalayan barbastelle appears 

 to be very similar to its European relative : showing itself, however, rather late in 

 the evening, and hibernating in the narrowest ci-evices and chinks of rocks into 

 which it can contrive to ci-awl. There are four other bats allied to the long-eared 

 bat and barbastelle, which are referred to three distinct genera. One of these is 

 Hemprich's eared-hat (Ofonycteris hempricJii) irom North Africa and the North- 

 West Himalaya, which is characterised by having only thirty teeth, owing to the 

 reduction in the number of the upper ineisoi-s and premolars to a single pair each. 



