548 Habits of the Bat. 



dually in the course of their progress northward, are pro- 

 bably those which annually visit above Mantua, in France, to 

 the south of which town they are said not to be found. The 

 species is unknown in the Channel islands (Jersey, Guernsey, 

 &c), and, I believe, throughout Brittany, unless a few may 

 sometimes be met with in the eastern districts of the last 

 named province. It seems that Portland is the westernmost 

 point where they arrive in Britain, and wherefrom they appear 

 to continue their journeys northward, hardly spreading at all 

 toward the west. I believe that one or two have been cap- 

 tured in East Lothian, within the boundary line above pre- 

 scribed, these being the only instances of the species occurring 

 in North Britain; though in Sweden it proceeds much farther. 

 Of course, it can hardly be expected to occur in Ireland. 



The brittling, or slowworm (Unguis fragilis), is common 

 in Ireland, as is also the jLacerta agilis ; but I have not heard 

 of either the common snake or of the viper being there met 

 with. The common toad exists there, as does also the natter- 

 jack toad (Z?ufo Calamita) ; the former being generally desig- 

 nated black frog. — Edward Blyth. Sept. 4. 1836. 



Is any Species of Bat known to fly about in the Daytime ? — 

 At 1 1 o'clock a. m., on one of the hottest days of the summer 

 of 1835, in the parish of Offton, Suffolk, I observed a bat 

 fluttering backwards and forwards near some very lofty walnut 

 trees. After watching it for some time, it gradually ascended, 

 soaring above the trees in the full glare of the noonday sun, 

 till it attained an elevation at which it was no longer visible. 

 I did not witness its descent; but, about five minutes after I 

 had lost sight of it, I observed it skimming the surface of a 

 small pond, and distinctly saw it touch the water while upon 

 the wing, and apparently take something (probably an insect) 

 from its surface. My curiosity being much raised, I endea- 

 voured to shoot it, and succeeded. It was a very small bat ; 

 but, observing no other peculiarity about it, I did not preserve 

 the specimen, which I now regret. Can any of your readers 

 inform me what species it probably belonged to? — E. C. 

 Burstall Hall, Suffolk. 



In Answer to the Question (VII. 515.)? " Do not Rooks, 

 every Spring, in building their Nests, use Part of the Materials 

 of the old Nests P" — I can with certainty say that in many 

 instances they do so. I was bred near to a large rookery, 

 and had many opportunities of seeing this fact verified; for, 

 when a boy, I was generally among the first to climb the trees 

 in search of eggs, to lay up a store against May-day, to add to 

 the decorations of the May-pole. I recollect finding, in several 

 instances, the lower parts of some of the nests in a state of 



