170 The hish Naturalist. [August, 



A very elaborate controversy has arisen on the bats captured 

 by Mr. Barrington in 1S6S, at Tandragee, and referred by him 

 to this species. Mr. J. E. Harting (" Remarks on British 

 Bats," Zoologist (3) xi., p. 168), writes : — 



"There is reason to believe that some specimens of a large bat taken 

 at Tandragee, Co. Armagh, and reported to be Vcspcrugo Leisleri, were in 

 reality Vespentgo noctula. To be more explicit : — in the Zoologist for Jul}', 

 rS74, Mr. R. M. Barrington gave a very interesting account (pp. 4,071- 

 4,074) of the discovery in June, 186S, of a colony of large bats in the 

 desmesne of the Duke of Manchester, at Tandragee, Co. Armagh, and of 

 the subsequent capture of several (presumably of the same species) at 

 the same place in May, 1874. Mr. Barrington identified them as Vcspcrugo 

 Leisleri, observing (p. 4,072), ' they were all of the Hairy-armed species.' 

 I have presented two specimens to the British Museum." These two 

 specimens, at our own particular request, were examined by Dr. Dobson 

 in 1S76, when preparing his Monograph of the Asiatic Chiroptera, and he 



pronounced them to be immature examples of Vcspcrugo noctula 



it seems to us that this circumstance establishes the fact of the occurrence 

 of the Noctule in Ireland." 



In 1878, however, Dr. Dobson (iv.) catalogued these same 

 specimens as Vcspcrugo Leisleri. 



In 1S89 the subject was re-opened, and Mr. Barrington sent 

 four specimens of this bat to Dr. Dobson. After some 

 vicissitudes they arrived safely, and Dr. Dobson writes : — 



" 15 : 7 : 89. 



"Dear Sir, 



" Your postcard and the bats reached me to-day, re-directed from 

 London. I have carefully examined the bats, and am rather puzzled 

 about them. While agreeing with V. Leisleri in the bicoloured fur, in the 

 lower incisors being in the direction of the jaws, and not transverse as 

 in Vespentgo noctula, and in their small size ; they differ in the large size of 

 the outer upper incisors at the base, herein agreeing with V. noctula. I 

 am not satisfied that the three £ 's are full-grown. The young one (with 

 persistent milk teeth) has its forearm as long as any of the other three 

 and they have the incisors quite sharp and unworn, so it is very likely 

 that they are only a month or two older than this young individual. 

 Therefore, before definitely pronouncing an opinion, it would be well to 

 have before me specimens with worn teeth, indicating full growth, and I 

 would be glad if you would endeavour to procure such. If the characters 

 I have referred to be also found in the perfectly adult animal then 

 the Irish specimens represent either a new species, or a curious case of 

 hybridization . 



" Very faithfully yours, 



" G. E. Dobson. 



" P.S.— Your letter arrived as I had written so far. I was obliged to 

 kill the bats in order to make the necessary examination, and have put 

 them in spirit." 



