History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

Rhinolophus. MAMMALIA. CHEIROPTERA.I. CHEIROPTERA. BATS.JL HE animals of this group feed on insects, chiefly moths^which they hunt in the evening. They sleep during the day.Migrate or become torpid during the winter. Bring forth twoat a birth. In the British species,there is only one bony jointin the fore finger, without nails, and two in the rest. The tailis included in the interfemoral membrane ;and the summits ofthe grinders have conical points. All the speciesof the followinggroups belong to the genus Vespertilioof Linnaeus.Gen. I.A. Nostrils with appendages. Ears simple.RHINOLOPHUS. Horse-shoe Bat.—Nostrils witha complicated membrane like a horse shoe.— This membraneis divided into two processes,the posterior of whichis erect. Ears free, acute and reflected. Two incisorsabove, in a cartilaginous intermaxillary bone, and four below,approximate, trifid. Tusks 8, grinders 20. Twopectoral and two inguinal teats were observed by Montagu.1. R. Ferrum-equinum. Larger Horse-shoe Bat.— Frontgrinder in the upper jaw small, simple, and truncated.Horse-shoe Bat, Penn. Brit. 6.— Zool. i. p. 147. tab. xiv.—Mont. Linn. Trans.ix. p. 165. tab. xviii. f. 5, Frequenting saltpetre houses at Dartfordin Kent, Latham ; caverns, Torquay, Devonshire, Montagu.The colour is pale rufous-brown ; weight about 4 drams ; length to the rootof the tail 2 4 inches; tail 3| inches; expansion of the wings 14| inches. Thetusks are simple.2. R. Hipposideros. Lesser Horse-shoe Bat.— Front grinderin the upper jaw acute, and notched at the base before and behind.Vesp. minutus, Mont. Linn. Trans, ix. p. 163. tab. xviii. f. 7, 8—Rh.hip. Leach, Zool. Misc. iii. p. 2. tab. 121 In caverns with the preceding,Wiltshire and Devonshire, Montagu.Colour, the same as the preceding ; weight from 63 to 80 grains ; length tothe root of the tail 2 inches ; tail § inch ; extent of the wings 94 inches.Tusks in the upper jaw notched in front, in the lower simple. Incisors in