THE MAMMALS OF BERMUDA. 



Paucity of species, as regards mammaliau life on oceanic islands, is 

 a fact well known to all observers; nor can the circumstance create any 

 degree of surprise when we become cognizant of the complete isolation 

 of such positions from any continent, tiieir small area, and recent 

 origin. 



The Bermudas present no exception to this general rule, and there- 

 fore the present meagre list will not excite astonishment, especially 

 when their peculiar formation and density of population are taken into 

 account. 



Order CHEIROPTERA. 



Family VESPERTILIONID^. 



SCOTOPHILUS NOCTIVAGANS, Lec. 



" Silver-haired Bat!" 



Only one specimen of this Bat is known to have occurred in the Ber- 

 mudas. It was taken alive near Hamilton on the 8th of October, 1850. 



Its geographical range on the North American continent extends, 

 according to Allen,* from the Atlantic coast to the Kocky Mountains, 

 and as far north as the Hudson's Bay Territory. 



Lasiurus cinereus, Allen. 



^^ Hoary Bat." 



According to the observations of my friend, Mr. J. L. Hurdis, of 

 Southampton, England, who passed fourteen years upon the islands in 

 an official capacity, and during that lengthy period was a close observer 

 of the habits of all animals which came under his notice, only two 

 species of Bat are known to visit the Bermudas, and that usually in 

 the autumn and early months of winter. The present species is observed 

 occasionally at dusk during the autumn months hawking about accord- 



* Monograph of the Bats of North America. By H. Allen, M. D., asst. surg. U. S. A. 

 p. 41. 



Bull. Nat. Mus. No. 25 10 145 



