THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THIRD SERIES. 



Vol. XV.] 



JUNE, 1891. 



[No. 174, 



THE SEEOTINE, VESPERUGO SEROTINUS. 

 By the Editor. 



Plate I. 



Compared with its congener, the Noctule, Vesperugo noctula, 

 of which an account was given, with a figure, in ' The Zoologist' 

 for May, 1887, the Serotine is not only more local in its dis- 

 tribution, but is apparently much less numerous as a species. 

 This at least is the conclusion arrived at after many enquiries 

 for it m different parts of the country. 



It is, of course, not unlikely that the proximity in size of 

 these two species, and the similar appearance which they present 

 when seen upon the wing at a little distance, may have led on 

 many occasions to their being confounded, and it may be well 

 therefore, before enquiring into the haunts and habits of the 

 Serotine, to consider the characters which serve to distinguish 

 it from the Noctule. 



In regard to size, the following table will show the respective 

 measurements of the two species :— 



Name of Species. 



i 



3 



Tail. 



Head. 



Ear. 



m 



B 



H 



Fore- 

 arm. 





a bo 



5 1 



"* a 



Tibia. 



S GO 



o o 



V. noctula . . 

 V. serotinus . 



3-0 



2-75 



2-0 



1-8 



0-9 

 0-9 



0-75 

 0-75 



0-25 

 0-35 



2-0 

 2-0 



0-3 

 0-3 



3-7 



3-5 



2-1 

 2-0 



0-75 

 0-75 



0.45 

 0-35 



ZOOLOGIST.— JUNE, 1891. 



