i8o VESPERTILIONID^— MYOTIS 



Louth, Longford (Jameson, Irish Naturalist, 1897, 39), Cork (Folliott 

 Darling, Zoologist, 1883, 294), Galway (Kane, Irish Naturalist, 1894, 

 116, and 1897, 88; also a specimen from Woodpark, in the British 

 Museum), Antrim (Patterson, Journ. cit., 1900, 274), Carlow^ (Pack- 

 Beresford, Journ. cit., 1905, 228), a combination of counties indicat- 

 ing a wide distribution throughout the island. (Jameson suggests 

 that Kinahan's error in identifying the Tankardstown Bridge, Co. 

 Kildare, colony of M. daubentoni with this species may have been 

 founded upon an actual mixture of the two — s&e Journ. cit., 1897, 40.) 



Distribution in time : — Of very numerous remains of bats found 

 by Lewis Abbott in the Pleistocene deposits of Ightham Fissure, Kent, 

 the greater number are referred to this species by E. T. Newton, who 

 states that they are sufficiently perfect as to leave little doubt as to the 

 correctness of the determination {Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc, May 1894, 

 192). 



The period of gestation is unknown. The number of young at a 

 birth does not appear to exceed one (Blasius), born probably in the 

 latter half of June (Proger) : they have been found not long after birth 

 on 25th July (J. Backhouse, jun.). 



Description : — Natterer's Bat resembles Bechstein's, but is smaller 

 and with quite distinct ear and wing. 



The head (Plate XL, Fig. 3) is proportionately small, the upper 

 jaw overhanging and naked at its extremity, the face is hairy and 

 moustached, and there are two prominent glands, one on each side 

 above the lips. 



The ear (Fig. 2, No. 8, p. 7) is large, and when laid forward reaches 

 slightly beyond the tip of the nose. It is nearly oval in shape, with con- 

 vex inner margin, and the outer also as a whole convex, but its regularity 

 interrupted by a notch at about one-third of the distance from the tip 

 and ending in a distinct basal lobe. There are only five cross-folds. 

 The tragus is long, narrow, and pointed, and attains its greatest 

 breadth near its base, where it is deeply emarginate and conspicuously 

 lobed ; its tip lies about opposite to the upper cross-fold at about two- 

 thirds the height of the ear. The inner margin is nearly straight, or 

 slightly convex, the outer slightly serrated and concave above. 



The wing (Plate XIII., Fig. 3) is the longest found amongst British 

 bats of this genus, both forearm and longest digit being of exceptional 

 length. It is also broad, since the third and fifth metacarpals are about 

 of equal length. On the other hand, both foot and lower leg are small, 

 relatively and actually, and the interfemoral membrane is narrow and 

 inconspicuous. Its posterior margin is crenated and furnished with a 

 fringe of stiff short hairs, most conspicuous between the tail and the 

 calcar, which is almost as long as in M. daubentoni. The thumb is weak. 

 The fur is long, thick, and soft, and extends to the face so as to 



