THE BARBASTELLE. 
295 
patron’s cheek, and take the fly with great gentleness from the mouth ; and so far was this familiarity 
carried, that when either of the young people made a humming noise with the mouth, in imitation of 
an insect, the Bat would search about the lips for the promised dainty.” From an observation made 
by Mr. 1 'oines (Bell s “ British Quadrupeds,” second edition, p. 76), it would appear that the Long-eared 
Bat, even in freedom, habitually captures at least some of its food in a somewhat similar manner. He 
says that (i having occasion to rise early — about three in the morning — on opening the window of his 
bedroom, a Bat of this species was seen actively engaged around the sprigs of a spindle tree which 
extended across the window, it was in bloom at the time, and was surrounded by a cloud of 
Microlep i doptera, on which the Bat was feeding. As this took place scarcely four feet from the open 
window it was easy to see the whole proceeding, and to determine with certainty the manner in which 
the food was taken. With scarcely an exception, the moths were picked from the leaves while resting 
there, only one or two being taken on the wing. While thus occupied the Bat hovered much after the 
manner of the Kestrel, and the ears were bent outwards so much as to curl down the sides of the face, 
appearing more like two large cheek-pouches than ears, no part of them appearing of greater elevation 
than the crown of the head.” 
On the ground the progression of the Long-eared Bat is very peculiar. Bats in general run 
along the ground with the head and body in a nearly horizontal position, but the Long-eared Bat 
carries the lore part of its body raised, and advances by a series of jerks, first on one side and then on 
the other. 
Several species nearly related to the Long-eared Bat have been described under various generic 
names. Antvozous pallidas is an inhabitant of North America, l/istiotus velatus is found in Brazil, 
and Otonycteris Hemprichii occurs in Nubia. 
THE BAR BASTE LLE * 
The Barbastelle is another British Bat belonging to the same group of the family Vespertilionidse as 
the Long-eared Bat, but forming the type of a very distinct genus. The ears, instead of being elongated 
into great membranous organs half as long a • the body of the animal, are only of moderate size, but 
they are united by their inner margins in the middle of the forehead a little in front of the eyes. The 
outer margin sweeps round upon the face, on which it terminates above the upper lip, so that the eye 
is almost completely surrounded by the ear. The tragus is triangular and pointed. The nostrils, 
as in riecotvs. open on the upper surface of the nose in front of a naked space, and from each 
nostril a deep groove runs down to the edge of the upper lip. The muzzle is short and blunt, giving 
the animal rather a surly aspect ; the tail is nearly as long as the 
body, and enclosed in the interfemoral membrane, except the 
extreme tip ; and the teeth are as in the Long-eared Bat. 
The Barbastelle is by no means a common Bat in England, 
where it seems to be confined to the Southern and Midland 3 
Counties, extending as far north as Northamptonshire and 
Warwickshire. It is found in France, rarely in Belgium and 
Germany, in Italy, Scandinavia, and Russia. In the southern 
part of the last-mentioned country it appears to he more abundant 
than elsewhere, especially in the Crimea, on the south coast of 
which it is said by M. Demidoff to be very common. It is said by Mr. Bell to occur in Nepaul, but 
the specimens referred to by him probably belong to the Darjeling Bat (Synotns d, Trjelmensis) of Mr. 
Hodgson. 
Tills curious little Bat measures about two inches in length of body, and its tail is about a 
quarter of an inch shorter. The expanse of its wings is ten inches. The cheeks are covered with 
black hair, which forms a sort of moustache. The ears are irregular in form, their tips being slight!)' 
truncated, and their outer margins sweeping in so as to form a notch, from which five or six folds run 
about half-way across the ear. The eyes are almost concealed by the black hairs on the cheeks. The 
'A w \ sJ VJ I 
HEAD OF BAHBASTELLE. 
* Synotus barbastellus. 
