CHAP. XVII.] MAMMALIA. 183 



volume was printed) adopts the saine family under the name of 

 Xycteridte. The curious Indian genus Bhinojjoma, which, follow- 

 ing Dr. J. E. Gray, we have classed in this family, is considered 

 by Mr. Dobson to belong to the Noctilionidae. 



Fossil Rhinolopliidcv. — Eemains of a species of Rhinolophus 

 still living in England, have been found in Kent's Cavern, near 

 Torquay. 



Family 1 2.— VESPEETILIONID^.. (1 8 Genera, 200 Species.) 



Gexekai, DtsTniBrTiox. 



Neotropical 



St:B-REOI0N3. 



Nearctic Pal.earctic I Ethiopian I Oriental ' Australian 

 Sub-regions. I Sub-icegions. Sub-regions. Sub-regions. Sub-regions. 



1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4- i 1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4 



The small bats constituting the family A^'espertilionidae, have 

 no nose-membrane, but an internal earlet or tragus, and often 

 very large ears. They range over almost the whole globe, being 

 apparently only limited by the necessity of procuring insect food. 

 In America they are found as far north as Hudson's Bay and the 

 Columbia river ; and in Europe they approach, if they do not pass 

 the Arctic circle. Such remote islands as the Azores, Bermudas, 

 Fiji Islands, Sandwich Islands, and New Zealand, all possess 

 species of tins group of bats, some of which probably inhabit 

 every island in warm or temperate parts of the globe. 



The genus Tapliozous, which, in our Tallies of Distribution in 

 vol. i. we have included in this family, is placed by Mr. Dobson 

 in his family Emballonuridae, which is equivalent to our next 

 family, Noctilionida?. 



Fossil Vcsjycrtilionicla'. — Several living European bats of this 

 family — Scotophilns murini's, Plecotiis auritus, Vcspertilio nodida, 

 and V. pipestrellvs — have been found fossil in bone-caves in 

 various parts of Europe. 



Extinct species of Ves'pertilio have occurred in the Lower 

 jMiocene at Mayence, in the Upper Miocene of the South of 

 France, and in the Upper Eocene of tJie Paris basin, 



