t9o4^ 8 1 



BATS, HEDGEHOGS, AND FROGS IN WINTER 



BY C. B. MOFFAT, B.A. 



The flight of Bats ill the winter months is frequently reported 

 as an exceptional occurrence. The accompan3nng table of 

 observations, kept at Ballyh3'land in the winter of 1901-2, 

 ma}^ I think, help to show that it is more or less reducible to 

 rule. 



The record begins on October 26th, and relates not only to 

 Bats, but also to Hedgehogs and Frogs. I made it my 

 practice during each evening of the winter, until the end of 

 February, to visit after sunset a series of spots which I knew 

 to be beats of these animals, and to note whether or not they 

 were seen stirring. From the table annexed to this paper it 

 will be seen that Bats (practicalh- these w^ere all Pipistrelles) 

 were observed on nineteen evenings in November, nine 

 evenings 111 December, ten evenings in January, and five 

 evenings in Februar}^ ; Hedgehogs w^ere observed on fifteen 

 nights (the}^ are later in coming out than the Bats) in 

 November, nine nights in December, four nights in Januar\^, 

 and not at all during February ; while Frogs were observed 

 on only uvo nights in November, and not at all in December, 

 but show^ed themselves (on land) during three nights in 

 January, prior to the 25th of that month, when spawning 

 began. During February, when the Hedgehogs and Bats 

 were least in evidence, the Frogs, now at their spawning 

 grounds, attained their maximum activity. 



Whatever interest attaches to these facts would be thrown 

 away unless attention were paid to the question of tempera- 

 ture. In the right-hand column of my table I have, therefore, 

 recorded for each evening the point at which the thermometer 

 stood, half-an-hour after stmset, at an elevation of about four 

 feet from the ground. 



In the other columns are noted for each evening the 

 respective numbers (if less than six) of Bats, Hedgehogs, and 

 Frogs observed. If six or more were seen the letter N 

 (numerous) is used ; and NN signifies " very numerous." 



The result as to Bats is clear. It is that at all times during 

 the winter, provided the temperature of the hour of dusk is 

 above 43'^ Fahrenheit, some Bats of the common species are 



