272 The Irish Naltcralist. [November, 1898. 



BIRDS. 



Curlew Breeding near Bray, 



It may be of interest to state that I had a nest of this bird under my 

 observation this summer. It succeeded in the face of many difficulties 

 in bringing away its young. This is the first instance I have met with 

 of such a bird as the Curlew breeding near Bray. 



Trinity College, Dublin E. Blake Knox. 



MAMMALS. 



The Whiskered Bat in Co. Dublin. 



On September 23rd, while searching for the hiding-places of bats in a 

 ruin, known as Fountain Hill, near Kilternan, Co. Dublin, I found this 

 bat (^Vespertilio niystaci)ius, Leisler), in a hole between the plaster and 

 the wall ; the bat was 13'ing on the floor of the cavity and was easily 

 caught. I also found two other bats of the same sort in the entrance of 

 a hole between two large stones in the wall ; one of them I also caught. 

 They were identified bj- Dr. Alcock. 



Ballybrack, Co. Dublin. J. WeI/I^and. 



On September 30th I had the good fortune to come across a male 

 specimen of this bat {Vespertilio Mystac'miis., Leisler), in a little wooded 

 ravine near Kilternan, Co. Dublin. It had suspended itself at the top 

 of a narrow chink between two great blocks of stone, about 6 feet from 

 the ground, and hung close to the entrance, though not visible from the 

 outside. It was apparentl}' alone, as I could find no more specimens 

 either in the same chink or in several others close b}''. I was able to 

 capture it without injuring it in any way, and conveyed it to Merrion 

 where it now lies. 



This species does not by any means display the gentle spirit manifested 

 by Daubenton's bat in captivity. It refuses all friendly overtures, 

 screaming and biting where occasion offers, its cr}'^ being much lower in 

 pitch than that of other species. It drinks water occasionally, and eats 

 sparingl}' offish, when little morsels are placed in its mouth, but declines 

 raw meat, apparentl}- finding it difficult to masticate. The last day or 

 two (Oct. 7th) it has seemed sleepy and disinclined for exertion, possibly 

 it intends to hibernate. 



With the exception of Mr. Welland's specimens, recorded above, this 

 bat has not been previously observed in Co. Dublin, the former Irish 

 localities being Clare, Fermanagh, and Louth (H. L. Jameson, /. Nat. 

 Feb., 1896). In Wales Mr. C. Oldham records it from Carnarvonshire 

 {Zool. (3), vol. XX., p. 255), and Mr. Caton Haigh from Merionethshire 

 {Zool. (3), 1887, p. 144) It has been found twice in Scotland (seeHarting, 

 J. E., Zool. (3), vol. xvii., p. 426, and (3), vol. xii., p. 161), and has a widely 

 scattered distribution in England, occurring in nineteen counties. 



Trinity College, Dublin. N. H. Ai^cock. 



