196 VESPERTILIONID.E— PLECOTUS 



vacancies represent rather lack of observers than of the bat. It has 

 been taken on such desolate western islets as the Tearaght, Co. 

 Kerry, on 4th November 1901 (Barrington, Migration, 284), and by 

 Sheridan on Achill, Co. Mayo (Dublin Museum). 



Distribution in time : — A portion of a humerus from layer 1 1 of 

 the Pleistocene deposits of Hoe Grange Cavern, Derbyshire, has been 

 doubtfully referred to this species by Arnold Bembrose and E. T. 

 Newton {Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc, 28th February 1905, 50). 



The period of gestation is unknown. The number of young is one, 

 born most usually in June or July. 



Description : — The general form and appearance are typically those 

 of its genus. 



The head (Plate XIV., Fig. 4) is only slightly raised above the face- 

 line; the muzzle rather long and prominent, horizontal, and slightly 

 emarginate ; the nostril with prominent edges, the opening lateral, pass- 

 ing backwards and outwards into a distinct groove. The ear is so large 

 as to almost equal in length the entire head and body. It is oval, 

 oblong, semi-transparent, and transversely folded. The inner margin 

 is bent outwards, and forms a broad longitudinal fold, ciliated at its 

 edge as well as along the keel formed by the bending. Immediately 

 above the point where the two ears meet, their margins form an angular 

 notch; above this, on each side, a small lobe projects laterally, so that 

 when the ears are erect it touches its fellow; these lobes are hairy, 

 thicker, and more opaque than the rest of the ear. The tragus is 

 elongate, lanceolate, rather obtuse, bending very slightly outwards, and 

 having a length about two -fifths that of the whole ear. The con- 

 spicuous eye is placed slightly in front of the inner angle of the base 

 of the tragus. 



In the wing (Plate XVII., Fig. i) the interfemoral membrane 

 is conspicuous, and is supported by a remarkably long tail and lower 

 legs. The foot is also large, but the calcar, although strong, is not of 

 exceptional length. It terminates in a distinct lobe. 



The fur is rather long, soft, thick, and silky ; its abundance on the 

 shoulders gives the body a broad appearance. On the wing it extends 

 about as far as lines joining the centres of humerus and lower leg. 

 The ear, except for fringes on the folds, is almost hairless. The foot 

 is ciliated. 



The colour is, above some shade between "wood brown" and 

 " broccoli brown," below dirty white or yellowish. The basal portions 

 of the hairs are everywhere dusky. The line of demarcation follows 

 the wing and thence to the angle of the mouth, but is not very 

 clearly marked. According to Bell, young specimens are redder, 

 old ones greyer ; but Dobson thought the young and females darker 

 dorsally. 



