166 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



probably the most abundant Bat in the district of Penrhynden- 

 draeth in Merionethshire, being found in all sorts of situations in 

 company with the Pipistrelle, which it very much resembles in 

 some of its habits. It differs considerably, however, in its choice 

 of a hunting-ground, and in its flight, which is slow and steady as 

 in Vespertilio daubentonii. The Whiskered Bat, he adds (torn. cit. 

 p. 294), comes abroad earlier in the evening than the last-named 

 species, and usually selects for its hunting-ground the sheltered 

 ends of a high hedge or plantation, or even a cliff, along which it 

 flies to and fro, seldom rising as high as the tops of the trees or 

 r rocks nearest to it. When crossing an open space it generally 

 keeps close to the ground, and was never observed frequenting 

 open spaces in woods, as does the Pipistrelle. 



The late Mr. Tomes, who assisted in the preparation of the 

 second edition of Bell's ' British Quadrupeds,' had paid special 

 attention to the Bats, and had had opportunities for observing 

 the Whiskered Bat in the neighbourhood of his own home at 

 AVelford, near Stratford-on-Avon. He remarked that it is not 

 unusual to see this Bat abroad during the day, even in bright 

 sunlight — a remark, by the way, which confirms the observa- 

 tion above quoted by Mr. Edward Hart. Another point noted 

 by him as a distinctive character of this species is a well-defined 

 black spot at the insertion of the humerus. This, probably, 

 will be found to be dependent upon age, as in some specimens 

 which we examined it was not noticeable. 



Towards the conclusion of his chapter on this species, 

 Bell, referring to its extensive geographical range over Europe, 

 observes : — " Finally, we think that the Himalaya Mountains will 

 have to be given as a habitat; for the Vespertilio siligorensis of 

 Hodgson appears to differ in no important respect from Vespertilio 

 mystacinus." This is so ; Dr. Dobson, in his ' Monograph 

 of the Asiatic Chiroptera' (1876), regards them as specifically 

 identical. 



Whether this species is migratory, as others are believed to 

 be, is an interesting point on which we should be glad to 

 have some information. See Spallanzani (French translation), 

 ' Rapports de l'air avec les etres organises,' vol. ii. p. 125; Blasius, 

 • Naturgeschichte der Saugethiere Deutschlands,' p. 72 ; and 

 Zool. 1883, p. 1.73. 



