TYPICAL BATS. 29 



earlet, nnd ending in a convex lobe behind the angle of the 

 mouth ; earlet, or tragus, broadest immediately above the base 

 of the inner margin, thence gradually narrowing to the rounded 

 tip, the inner margin straight or slightly concave, and the outer 

 convex, with a small lobe at the base. Head flat ; muzzle flat 

 and thick, with swollen glandular sides ; front of face nearly 

 naked, but a slight fringe of hairs on the upper lip. Thumb 

 with a callosity at the base ; wings arising from the metatarsus 

 close to the base of the toes ; extra membrane near spur very 

 narrow. Upper inner incisor teeth, when unworn, with bifid 

 extremities ; all the lower incisors trifid, and closely crowded 

 together. Colour generally dark smoky-brown, with the under- 

 parts varying from yellowish-brown to yellowish-white ; but in 

 examples from desert-regions the upper-parts are buffish-brown 

 and the lower surface paler. Length of head and body about 

 2^ inches ; of tail 2 inches. 



Distribution. — This species is rare and local in the British 

 Isles, but is one of the most widely distributed members of 

 its Order, ranging over temperate Europe, Asia, and North 

 America, being likewise found in North Africa, as well as in 

 Kashmir and Yunnan. It also occurs in parts of South 

 America. It has been said to occur in the neighbourhood of 

 London, and has been taken at Folkestone and the Isle of 

 Wight, and probably occurs in several of the other southern 

 counties, although it is most likely often overlooked and 

 mistaken for the Noctule. It is not recorded from Ireland. 



Habits. — As indicated by its specific name, the Serotine is a 

 Bat which makes its appearance late in the evening, but differs 

 from the majority of its genus in the slowness of its flight, 

 which is, moreover, fluttering. Then, again, whereas most of the 

 members of the present genus differ from the majority of Bats 

 in producing two young at a birth, the Serotine is peculiar in 

 that but a single offspring is born at a time. A late hiberna- 



