History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

6 MAMMALIA. CHEIROPTERA. ViisrERTiLio.the upper jaw concealed According to Dr Leach, " it is a very cautious animal;very easily tamed, but fond of concealing itself. It frequents the higherparts of the caverns in which it occurs, and probably flies higher than thepreceding species."B. Nostrils destitute of appendages. Ears zvith an innerauricle.Gen. II. VESrERTILIO.—Ears disjoined.Incisors in thelower jaw six, approximate, bifid ;in the upper four, inpairs, cylindrical, pointed.3. V. murinus. Common Bat.— Ears the length of the head,oblong, auricles semicordate.Vesp. a Bat; Flitter-mouse or Rear-mouse, Merr. Pin. 172— Ray, Syn.Quad. 243 Petm. Brit. Zool. i. 148—Inhabits old buildings and caves.Common.This animal was placed by Merret among the birds, and is still by manythoughtlessly regarded as belonging to that clasp. Its covering of hair, insteadof feathers, the bringing forth itsyoung alive, and suckling them at thetwo teats placed upon its breast, are characters which, independent of other actions,remove it far from the feathered tribes. According to White (Hist. Selb.156.), when tamed, so as to take flies out of a person's hand,itbrought its wingsround before the mouth, hovering and hiding its head in the manner of birdsof prey. It rejected the wings of flies. Ate raw meat. Was capable of risingfrom a floor, and taking wing with ease. It drinks on the wing like swallows,by sipping the surface as it plays over pools and streams.4. V. cmarginatus.— Ears the lengthof the head, oblong,with a notch on the exterior margin.M. Geoffroy, Ann. du Mus. vol. viii. p. 198. tab. xlvi—Near Dover,M. A. Brongniart. Fife, Fleming.This species was first separated from the preceding, with which it is apt tobe confounded, by the author whom we have quoted.It is not uncommon inFrance. The auricle is subulated.5. V. Noctula. Great Bat.—Ears shorter than the head, triangular,nostrils bilobated, chin with a wart.Vesp. altivolans, White's Selb. i. 130. & 158—V. auriculatus, Walker'sEssays, 472 Great Bat, Pcnn. Br. Zool. i. 146. tab. xiii. No. 38.First observed in England by White, and in Scotland by Walker.According to White, this species flies high in the air, from the end ofApril to end of July. Body to the end of the tail 4J inches. Extent of wing144 inches. Weight 9 drachms. The fur soft, of a bright chesnut colour.Smell offensive. Dr Walker" says, Dentes xxxii numeravimus. Primoressuperiores 4 acuti, distantes inferiores 4 : acuti, contigui.Laniarii superiores6, anticis maximis acutis; inferiores 6, anticis majoribus-Molarcs utrinqueG. Aurcs duplicate, capite multo minorcs. Exterior major, ovata, ob«tusa. Interior minor, brevior, lanceolata. Palmes palmato-alatse maxima*,Plantcepollice unguiculato.pentadactyla?, fiassej digitis pilosis, unguiculatis.Cauda gemculala,6 articulis. Manbnma juxta caudam, margine ciliato. Elatebris volitat circa 20. Aprilis."