20 The Irish Natnralist. Jan., 1917. 



minutes before sundown and remained as long as I could see them. They 

 flew high as a rule and with astounding speed. I saw them in company 

 with Swifts several times, and they certainly flew faster than the swifts. 

 When they twisted and turned and swooped after their prey I could not 

 follow their movements. My son shot one of them (no easy feat), and 

 it turned out to be the Hairy-armed, or Leisler's Bat, which is, I believe, 

 the largest bat we have in Ireland. It is perhaps worthy of note that 

 I never heard these bats utter a sound, though they are said to be very 

 noisy on the wing. Of course the occurrence of this bat here is in no 

 waj^ remarkable, but I want to call attention to the extraordinary speed 

 of its flight. The Pipistrelle, so far as I can judge, does not fly nearly so 

 fast as a Swallow. 



G. H. Pentland. 

 Black Hall, Drogheda. 



Badgers and Hedgehogs. 



About fifteen years ago Badgers appeared in my woods and soon 

 formed a flourishing colony. As they increased, the Hedgehogs, which 

 were then very plentiful gradually disappeared. For five or six years 

 I never saw one at all. Then something happened to the Badgers. 

 Their numbers dwindled till the tribe was reduced to one or two and 

 they seem on the verge of extinction and the little Hedgehogs are 

 reappearing ! Cause and effect evidently. 



G. H. Pentland. 

 Black Hall, Drogheda. 



Boldness of a Stoat. 



A few da3S ago, one of the ladies of my family saw a Stoat which had 

 just killed a full-grown Rabbit, and was eating it. She sat down to watch 

 it. At first, being intent on its meal, it did not perceive her, but presently 

 it looked up, saw her and retired into a rabbit hole. She sat still and 

 watched. It came out again, looked at her and disappeared again. 

 She still waited. Presently she was startled by a shrill cry at her back, 

 and turning saw the Stoat at the mouth of a hole about two feet from 

 her. It snarled and squeaked at her. She picked up a stick and made 

 a thrust at the Stoat which retreated for a moment, but reappeared again 

 at once, defying the stick and offering such an angry and menacing 

 appearance that she fairly dropped her stick and ran away, leaving the 

 gallant Stoat master of the field and the rabbit. Stoats have increased 

 in numbers here lately to my great pleasure. There is no more useful 

 creature (outside the poultry yard). 



G. H. Pentland. 



Black Hall, Drogheda. 



