The Mammalian Fauna of the Edinburgh District. 85 
X. The Mammalian Fauna of the Edinburgh District. By 
WILLIAM Evans, F.R.S.E. 
(Read 15th April 1891.7) 
The late Mr E. R. Alston, in the closing sentences of his 
Catalogue of Scottish Mammalia, published in 1880,—which, 
it may here be remarked, has “special reference to Clydes- 
dale and the western district,’—pointed out to Scottish 
naturalists that the distribution of our mammalian-life was 
much in need of revision—the Shrews, Mice, and Voles (and, 
I would add, the Bats) being especially deserving of attention. 
Realising the force of this remark, I have been endeavouring 
during the last few years to work out in some degree of 
detail the distribution of these small mammals in our own 
neighbourhood; and my original intention was to com- 
municate to the Society the results of my observations on 
these groups alone. Being, however, also in possession of 
amass of data bearing on the past and present distribution 
of the other recent animals of the class Mammalia occurring 
in the district, I have thought that the present might be a 
fitting opportunity to lay before the Society my notes on 
them as well. 
Tie “Edinburgh District,” as here understood, embraces 
the valley of the Forth, and such parts of the adjoining areas 
—Tay and Tweed—as lie within easy distance, say twenty 
to thirty miles, of the city, the whole being capable of 
investigation in the course of a series of easy excursions, 
seldom requiring more than a day for their accomplishment. 
It is, in fact, practically the same area as that adopted by 
Balfour and Sadler in their “Flora of Edinburgh,” and 
shown in the map which accompanies both editions of that 
work,—a section of country presenting a combination of 
physical features peculiarly rich and varied. The counties 
embraced are—on the south, East Lothian, Midlothian, 
West Lothian, and Peebles, with parts of the adjoining 
counties of Berwick, Roxburgh, Selkirk, Lanark, and 
1 The paper, as now printed, includes records of occurrences down to 
December 1891, the date of publication. 
