MURPIIV AND NICHOI^S: LONG ISLAND BATS. 3 
I. LITTLE BROWN P,AT 
Myotis lucifiigus (Le Conte) 
Length 8.75 ccntiniL'ters (3.40 inches). Teeth, incisors j£j, canines I-ri, premolars |^', 
molars |z-°, =38. Above dark grayish brown, below dark buffy gray. A few sparse 
hairs on the flight membranes near the body; flight membranes otherwise naked. 
Ear moderate. 
Though alniniiaiit in Xew England and found in most parts of the 
North American continent, the Little Brown Bat has been almost 
overlooked on Long Island. Elsewhere it is said to be a typical cave- 
dwelling bat in winter, and the fact that there are no caves worthy 
of the name on Long Island accounts perhaps for the scarcity of this 
smallest species- 
The first Little Brown Bats actually collected on Long Island 
were three shot from a flock of a dozen or more at Cold Spring Harbor 
in July, 1900, by Mr- George K. Cherrie. Since that date the senior 
writer has seen the species during August and September at various 
localities near the western end of the Island and along the south 
shore. It is a pastoral species ; that is, it does not inhabit towns and 
in this locality certainly it rarely frequents houses even in the iso- 
lated districts. Hence it is, at best, an animal not likely to come 
to one's attention unless hunted for, and continued search may 
prove it less rare than has been supposed. Presumably the traits 
of the species on Long Island do not differ materially from its cus- 
toms on the mainland of southern New England where it occasionally 
appropriates a napping place behind the shutters or in the garret 
of some lonesome farm house, but for the most part prefers the dark 
hollow of an ancient and decrepit forest tree, or a snug berth behind 
a sheet of warping bark, where whole clusters of Little Brown 
Bats, like swarming bees, sometiines may be found clinging together. 
Although it has been stated not to be an urban resident, the 
senior author recalls that several individuals of the species once 
spent the winter, at least, in the library of a venerable New England 
college situated in the quiet and well wooded section of a large city. 
And one sunny April morning, at the same college, he captured a 
live one which had caused much amusement by flitting about the 
chapel during the matin services, finally alighting on a portrait frame 
where it fell instantly to sleep. 
The Little Brown Bat is an early flier, beginning often before 
sunset to pursue the gnats, tiny beetles and other winged insects upon 
