Bats are highly charismatic and popular animals that are not only fascinating in their own right, but illustrate most of the topical and important concepts and issues in mammalian biology. This book covers the key aspects of bat biology, including evolution, flight, echolocation, hibernation, reproduction, feeding and roosting ecology, social behaviour, migration, population and community ecology, biogeography, and conservation. This second edition is fully updated and greatly expanded throughout. More specifically this - is written in an accessible style by an authority in the field, - builds on the reputation of the first edition, providing a fully revised, comprehensive, and affordable successor; 60% of the text is new, as is 35% of the illustrations, - incorporates major recent developments in the use of genetics, and major advances in our understanding of social behaviour, community ecology, macroecology, biogeography, and, a new chapter in this edition, conservation, - puts bat studies into the wider context of mammalian evolution, diversity, ecology, and conservation, - includes a new 8-page colour plate section, with stunning photographs of bat species from around the world, and, as in the previous edition, has numerous attractive and detailed drawings. -NHBS