THE NOCTULE, OR GREAT BAT 



level, and feed at a height of from fifteen to thirty or forty feet above the 

 fields, pools, and open places in the woods. The crunching of their jaws 

 as they masticate their insect prey may then be heard distinctly." 



Wolley describes the cry of the Noctule as a " cricket-like chirp." 



LEISLER'S BAT. 



Vesperugo Leisleri, Keyserling and Blasius. 

 Plate 4. 



This species, called by Bell the Hairy-armed Bat, on account of the band 

 of hair extending below the forearm on the under surface of the wing, is 

 intermediate in size between the Pipistrelle and Noctule, and measures about 

 1 2 inches in expanse of wings. 



In general, the form and character of Leisler's Bat resembles the Noctule's, 

 though less lusty and robust. The feet and legs are comparatively smaller 

 and more slender, and the calcarial lobe also not so large. The teeth are 

 thirty-four in number. 



On the upper parts the colour of the fur is a deep brown, the lower 

 greyish brown. 



Mr. A. Whitaker, who has had exceptionally good opportunities of study- 

 ing this species alive, thus describes it in Wild Life (February 19 14, 

 p. 79). " To my mind, however, the most satisfactory means of distinguishing 

 between these two Bats is afforded by the fiir of the Noctule becoming 

 uniformly paler towards the base, while in the species we are considering 

 the reverse is the case, the hairs, especially those of the underparts, 

 being almost black at the roots. By rubbing up the fiir of the under- 

 parts the wrong way, this distinction is made apparent even in a casual 



inspection." 



19 



