192 



VESPEBTILIONID^. 



Above dark smoke-brown, with paler brown tips ; beneath yel- 

 lowish brown throughout ; ears and membranes dark brown. This 

 is the general colour of the fur of European specimens ; but those 

 from the dry sandy countries of Northern Africa and Asia Minor 

 are pale buff-brown or straw-colour above, and even paler beneath. 

 Specimens from the Gaboon are dark brown above, and white or 

 pale yellowish white beneath. 



Upper inner incisors long and strong, bifid at their extremities, 

 the cusps equal in length ; outer incisors very short, scarcely more 

 than one third of the length of the inner incisors, and lying against 

 the outer and anterior side of their bases. Lower incisors trifid, 

 crowded. The first lower premolar about half the vertical extent 

 of the second, and about half its transverse diameter. 



The following Table exhibits the measurements of full-grown ex- 

 amples of this species from each of the great continents : — 



Var. a. 



This form, from the Gaboon in W. Africa, differs from all pre- 

 viously described examples of V. serotinus in having the far of the 

 under surface of the body pale yellowish white, contrasting strongly 

 with the dark brown hair covering the back. In all other respects 

 the specimens in the collection agree with those of the Serotine 

 from Europe. 



For measurements see Table above (No. 2). 



Var. /3. {Vesperus fusciis.) 



Vespertilio fuscus, Pal. de Beauvois, Cat. Peak's Mmeum Philad. p. 14 

 (1796) (vide Allm, Monogr. Bats N. Amer. 1864, p. 31) : Leconle, 

 Proc. Acad. Nat. Set. Philad. 1855, p. 437. 



M espertilio carolinensis, Geoffroy,Ann. du Musium, viii. p. 193 (1806) ; 

 Besmar. Mammal, p. 136 (1820); Temm. Monogr. Mammal, li. 

 p. 237 (1835-41) ; Leconte, Cuv. Anim. Kingd. (M'Murtrie ed.), 

 p. 431 (1831) ; Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1856, p. 434: Wagner, 

 Suppl. Schreb. Saugeth. p. 753 (1855). 



