450 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII. 
beneath the hanging dead leaves. The probable explanation, why this species 
rarely lives in holes in tree trunks, etc. in the low country, is that it is afraid of 
attacks by the large Monitor lizards which are good tree climbers and often enter 
woodpeckers and other birds’ nesting holes. 
Hesperopterus tickelli.—Tickell’s Bat. 
Singhalese—Podi or Kirri Voula. Tamil—Vava. 
Locally distributed, but very common in parts. In the rubber districts of 
Kalutara, this is the commonest bat seen in the evenings; being very noticeable 
as it always appears so early, and haunts tennis courts, bungalow clearings and 
the like. Along the actual sea coast and in the Palm-belt which runs from Co- 
lombo to Galle, however, it is rarely found, its place being taken by the stronger 
and larger Scotophilus khuli. It has also been recorded from Anuradhapura, 
but does not seem to be so common in that district. It probably does not ascend 
the hills to any very great altitude. In the evening it appears early, quickly 
following the little Dwarf Pipistrelle, (P. mimus,) but unlike that species, it has a 
definite beat to which it returns night after night, at the same time almost to 
the minute. The beat, which is usually close along the trees on the edge of a 
clearing, is jealously guarded from intruders of its own species, which are chased 
and hunted out of the territory. When two bats are observed on the same 
ground, they are almost sure to be male and female, for at certain seasons they 
seem to fly together. Its flight is rather slow and steady, beating up and down 
the territory or wheeling in large circles some twenty or thirty feet up, with an 
occasional swoop down nearly to the ground. It flies silently, but has a shrill 
squeaking cry which is occasionally uttered when wounded. By day it hides 
away in jungles, presumably in hollow trees or like places, but it is very difficult 
to discover its retreats. The young, (one only) is produced at the end of May 
and is very large at birth. 
Scotophilus khulimThe Common Yellow Bat. 
Singhalese—Podi Voula. Tamil—Vava. 
Like the preceding species this Bat seems to be very locally distributed, being 
common in some parts, rare in others. 
In the Western province it is extremely numerous in the Palm-belt running 
along the coast from Colombo to Galle, but, inland of this, it is seen more rarely;— 
though, as it appears late in the evening, it is easily overlooked and likely to 
seem more rare than it really is. It seems to prefer the neighbourhood of Cocoa- 
nut palms and is always more numerous where they abound. It appears rather 
late in the evening, just before it is quite dark and usually flies rather low down, 
not more than ten or fifteen feet up. It likes large open spaces, (preferably near 
Palm trees), paddy fields, the foreshore on the coast, roads and canals, railways, 
etc., up and down which it flies quite straight for several hundred yards before 
turning and retracing its path. It will often fly quite low down, within a foot 
or two of the ground, at a fairly rapid, though steady pace, with few twists or 
turns. It flies silently. There is a great deal of variation both in size and colour 
in this species. Typically it is yellowish brown, rather lighter and more yellow- 
ish underneath, but bright chestnut specimens are common and small greyish 
ones not rare. All these different varieties are found in the same localities and 
apparently live together. 
MINIOPTERIN . 
Miniopterus fuliginosus.—The Long-winged Bat. 
Singhalese—Kirri Voula or Podi Voula. Tamil—Sinna Vava. 
This species seems to prefer a fairly dry climate. It is common in the Uva. 
province, on the Eastern slopes of the hills, to 3,500 feet altitude and in the North 
Central province (600 feet) ; but is entirely absent from the Kalutara district of 
the Western province and from the Western slopes of the hills where the climate 
is very much damper. It appears fairly early in the evening, flying rapidly and 
