THE ZOOLOGIST. 
THIRD SERIES. 

Vou. XIII.] JULY, 1889. [No. 151. 


NATTERER’S BAT, VESPERTILIO NATTERERI. 
By tsar Epiror. 
Pratt III. 
TWENTY years ago, when living a good deal in West Sussex, 
we often saw this Bat flying about the oak trees on the outskirts 
of the woods. It appeared earlier in the day than the other 
local species, even making its appearance before sunset. It was 
by no means shy, but allowed so near an approach that, as we 
stood motionless against the tree trunk around which it was 
feeding, it would pass within a few feet, and enable us to identify 
the species without killing it. In Middlesex, also, when residing 
at Kingsbury, we had many opportunities of seeing and handling 
Natterer’s Bat, specimens of which were procured at Hampstead, 
the Hale, Edgeware, and Stanmore. Subsequently, on noting 
its occurrence in many other parts of England, Wales, and 
Ireland, we came to the conclusion that it cannot be so rare a 
species in the British Islands as is generally supposed. 
The name “ Reddish-grey Bat,” bestowed upon it by Bell 
(‘British Quadrupeds,’ 2nd ed., 1874, p. 54), has always struck 
us as not very appropriate, the dorsal surface of the specimens 
obtained by us being very pale yellowish grey, and the under 
parts nearly white. Its colour and size, as well as the length of 
the ears (about as long as the head), made it easy to distinguish 
it on the wing from either the Pipistrelle or the Long-eared Bat, 
ZOOLOGIST.— JULY, 1889. U 
