74 



MAil.MALIA. 



Vespcrfilio. Tlie Ea^'ptian species is represented to liave small eyes ; but that fi;^urGd by Gen. Kardwicke (Lin. 

 Trans., vol. xiv. p. 525) possesses eyes proportionally as large as in a Squirrel, and we have examined skins ijf 

 another species (chinchilla-grey above, pure ivhite beneath), in which the same character must have been con- 

 spicuous.] 



The Mormopes (Mormoops-, Leach J — 

 Have four incisors to each jaw, the superior rather large ; the inferior trilobate : their skull (fig. 17) is 

 singularly raised like a pyramid above the muzzle ; and ou each side of the nose is a triangular 



membrane, "uiiich extends to the ear. 



The species M. BhiinvillH, Leacli, is from Java. [It has since been receivei]. together with two others of the 

 same form (but considered by Gray as separable), from Jamaica; so that the former locality may be presumed to 

 be wronf^ly assigned.] 



The ordinary Bats [to which this term may be restricted] {Vespcrlilio, Cwv. and Geof.) — 

 Have no leaf or other distinctive mark on the muzzle, and the ears separated ; four incisors above, of 

 which the two middle ones are apart, and six. below, sharp-edged, and somewhat notched* : their tail 

 is comprehended in the membrane. 



This subgenus is the most numerous of alt, and universally distributed. There are six or seven species 

 in France [more than double that number. Thirteen have now been met with in England, including the Barbastelle 

 and Oreiltard. The sexes and young of several congregate separately.!] 



* 1\(. TJoussenn, in a meinoir on tlic unatomy of I'esp. muTiruis, 

 stfttus, of llic IV.-0 dumitioua ol tLia animal, that tlie first is developtd 

 befi^re birth, the second not till some time aftenvards. Tlie ftEtal leeth, 

 he remarks, are twciity-two in number; namely, foar iiiciNora, two 

 cariinas, and four mnlara to the upper jaw, and ciix incisors, two 

 cnnines, and four molars to the lower one- The permanent teeth, in 

 tht^ adult, arc thirty-einht in number; of which twenty-two shoulU 

 replace the ttetal or temporary teeth ; the sixteen others successively 

 aboTV themselves, later eis their position is further baekward. The 

 permanent teeth do not wait to api)ear until their predecessors 

 are shed, whence at a certain epoch forty or fifty teeth, or even more, 

 may be counted in the same individual: this last fact we have ob- 

 eer^'ed in the instance of the common Kiicliet Weasel— Ed. 



t To facilitate the researches of the British naturalist, our known 

 indii;cnous species may be briefly indicated : it is not unlikely tKat 

 more remain to be discovered, as but few persons have hitherto be- 

 stow[;d much attention on tbese lucifugTil animals. 



The British species fall under two natural divisions. 



Iq the first, the irag-us is more or k-ss rounded at the tip. short, and 

 K little thickened in its substance ; there are four pairs of lulic moliirs 

 to each jaw. Such are 



The Noctule Bat ( T. v«rlula).—0{ a bright reddish-brown; the 

 membrane dusky. Len^-lh of the head and bod>' nearly D inches ; ex- 

 tent 13 or 14 inches. Ears oval-triangular, shorter than the head ; 

 the tragus not one-third the length of the ear, arcuated, and termi- 

 nated in a broad rounded head ; mu/.ile short, broad, and blonl. 

 This species is not uncommon, and is even numerous in some 

 diatricta : its flight is lofty, whence desif,'nated iiltivolatit by White. 



Hairy-armed Bat {F. Lr i si eri).— The furlong, bright chestnut above, 

 brownish grey beneath ; under surface of the flying membrane with a 

 broad band of hair al.ina: the fore-arm. Length of the head and body 

 2iv<) inches ; e.ttent 11 U inches. The ears oval-triangular, shorter than 

 the head ; tragus barely one-third the length of the ear, tcrminaling 

 in a rounded head. But one specimen is known tn have been killed in 

 England. 



Parlicolourcd Bat (/'. ditco'or) .—Fur reddish-brown above, with 

 the tips of the hairs white; beneath, sullied nliile. Length of ihe 

 head and body 2^4 inchcfi; extent lUVii inches. Ears about two- 

 thirds the length of the head, oval, with a projecting lobe on the 

 inner margin; the tragus of nearly equal breadth throughout, rather 

 mure than one-third the length of the ear. It inhabits to«ns, and 

 comes abroad early in the evening. The only native specimen was 

 taken at Plymouth. 



ripistrelle Bat (/". piphlrr/lua, erroneously terincd T. 'iiurinus by 

 British writers till very latelyj .— This Hmall species is the commonest 

 of any; it is dark reddish brown, paler beneath. Length to the tail 

 1V:> inch ; extent 8Va inches. Kars two-thirds the length of the head, 

 oval-triangular, notched on the outer margin; tragun nearly half as 



r, aln.oat straight, thickened, obtuse, and rounded at 

 \ins with celerity, carrying its bead near the ground, 

 ist's with ease ; and is active during the greater purl 

 The Pygmy Bat [!'. pi//^ni(xus, Lcilc\\,) is evidently a 

 ind probably of tliis species, 

 only two pair.s of superior false molars. 

 The Serotine Bat (T. .s.-roli»ii.i)-—Var chcstnut-iirown above, yel- 

 lowLsh-tfTcy beneath. Lungrh of the head and body -l^ inches; ex.- 



long as the 



of the year, 

 young animal 

 Tne next h: 



tent 1214 inches. The ears uval triangular ; shorter than the head ; 

 tragus semicordate, little more than une-third the length of the ear. 

 The Serotine frequents uninhabited houses, theroofsof churches. Sfc. 

 and sometimes hollow trees ; flies steadily and rather slow, and is 

 occasionally taken near London. 



In the second group, the tragus in relatively longer, thin, narrow, 

 and more or less pointed ; and there are sis pairs of false niolaia U; 

 each jaw. 



Mouse. coloured Bat (/■'. .idirijiHj).— The fur reddish-brown above, 

 dull white beneath. Length uf the head and body.^w, Inches ; spread 

 of wing 1,5 inches. Kars oval, broad at the base, becoming narrower 

 towards the apex, as long as the head ; tragus faleiforai, the inner 

 margin straight, not quite half the length of the ear. This Bat is very 

 common in France and Germany, but only one instance has been re- 

 corded of its occurrence in Britain. 



Bcchstein's Bat {f. Bechsteivii).— Fur reddish-grey above, greyish- 

 white beneath. Dimensions, to the insertion of the tail, l'',4 inclies ; 

 11 inches across. Ears oval, rather longer than tlie head ; tragus 

 narrow, falciform, not half the length of the ear. The thumb longer 

 than in the others. A woodland species, found occasionally in the 

 New Forest, Hants. 



Fringe-tailed B.it ( f". NnUcreri).— Y,xx brown above, whitish 

 beneath. Length, to the tail, neariy 2 inches ; extent 11 inches. 

 Bars oblong-oval, about as long aa the head ; tragus narrow-laneeo- 

 lale, nearly tvvo-lhirds the length of the ear; interfemoral membrane 

 with tie margin crcnate and siitlly ciliated, from the enil of the spur 

 or calcaneum to the tail. Has been met \\iih in several parts of the 

 country. 



Notch-eared Bat {V. 

 reddish-grey above, as! 

 body two inches ; exie 

 head, with a notch and 



mnrglnifm, Geot, not of Jcnyns).— The fur 

 coloured beneath. Length of the head and 

 ; 9 inches. The ears oblong, as long as the 



shaped, a little curved outward. 



On. 



r Dovi 



largin ; tragus a 

 c than half the length of the e 



Daubenton's Bat (T, Dnubentonii ,—e,niirginatus of Jenyus).— Fur 

 soft, plentiful, brownish-black at the base ; the surface greyish-red 

 above, ash-grey beneath. Length of tlie head and body 2 inches ; 

 extent 9 inches. The ears oval, three-fourths the length of the head, 

 very slightly notched on the outer margin, with a fold on the inner 

 margin at the base ; tragus iinrrow-laneeolale, rather obtuse, bending 

 a little inward, half the length of the ear ; tail longer tlian the body. 

 Has been taken in several Incalitiei;. and iVies rapidly ne;ir the ground, 



Whiskered Bat (T. .»v.f/'m"n»,').— Fur blackish-ebeslnut above, 

 dusky beneath ; the upper lip furnished with a moustache of long fine 

 hair. Length of the head and body l-l^ inch ; exlentS^/^ inches. Ears 

 oblong, bending outward, shorter than the head, notched on (he outer 

 margin ; the tragus half the length of the car, lanceolate, a little ex- 

 panded at the outer margin near llic base. Has also occurred iu 

 dilTercnt parts of the country. 



The above characters arc chiefly compiled from Bell's JVili.sli Quad- 

 rupeds, where figures and minute descriptions are given of c.ich of 

 them, tiigelhc-r with full-sked rejirescntations of their head.s. U it? 

 be remarked that only the last five are retained in {'rspcrlilii, by Ulr. 

 Gray, the others being included in his ScolophHus. — Ed. 



