TYPICAL GROUP. 275 



abundance of these insects on some of tlie warmer days of M-inter is probabh- the 

 reason wliy one or more of the Ijats may be occasionally seen flying about at that 

 season. In captivity tliis l)at will readily eat meat : and it is said tliat it will at 

 times visit lardei-s 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 (F. ahramus), 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 distiucniished 

 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 beino- 

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

 Noctuie Among the representatives of Vcxpcriujo, our remarks will, in 



the main, be restricted to tho.se found in the British Isles: and we 

 accordingly pa.ss to the consideration of a species nuich larger than the preceding, 

 and known as the great bat, or noctuie {V. noctida). This .species, of which we (dve 

 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 lai-ger British liats. Apart from its larger 

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

 set veiy 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 

 pipisti-elle, being found not only all over Europe and the tempei-ate 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 improbabh^ Kandahar. 



The noctuie ditters 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, anrl its flight is 

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

 consists of cockchafei-s and femchafers, in pursuit of which it may be seen on 

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

 odour is characteristic of this h-Ai. 



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

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

 (juite equal to the reduction of the stubborn elyti'a 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 

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

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

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

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

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



