MAMMALS 



Northamptonshire from its wooded surface and the absence of coal 

 and iron industries has been especially suitable for the preservation of 

 wild animals. Though Rockingham Forest, which in the Middle Ages 

 extended from the north of the county nearly as far as Northampton, has 

 much diminished in size, yet in the large estates in the north of the 

 county considerable patches of the original forest remain. The roe deer 

 {Capreolus capreolus) and the wild cat [Felis catus) are now extinct in the 

 county. The harvest mouse [Mus minufus) and the pine marten [Mustela 

 martes) are in all probability extinct, though both species have been 

 recorded within the memory of living men. Whether the old white 

 cattle have or have not a claim to be considered indigenous, or even ever 

 free from the control of man,' has long been a subject of discussion ; but 

 it has been thought desirable to refer to their former preservation in the 

 county. It may also be mentioned that the black rat {Mus rattus), the 

 brown rat {Mus decumarms), the rabbit {Lepus cuniculus) and the fallow 

 deer {Cervus damd) are to be regarded as introductions within historic 

 times. The polecat {Putorius putorius) is now on the verge of extinction 

 in this county, though apparently not uncommon forty years ago. There 

 is no great probability of any further extension of the present list of 

 species, though the occurrence of the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus 

 hippo sider US') may yet be established. 



CHEIROPTERA 



1. Long-eared Bat. P/e\otus auritus, Linn. Xoologht for February, 1887, the late Lord 

 This common species is exceedingly plenti- Lilford says : ' Although I have never been 



ful in the county. It may easily be recog- able hitherto to obtain the scrotine in North- 

 nized by the length of its ears as it flits about, amptonshire, I feel certain that it occurs occa- 

 sionally near Lilford ' ; and he maintained this 



2. Barbastelle Bat. Barhastella barbastellus, opinion in conversation with me. While fish- 



Schreber. j,^g ^^ Castle Ashby in 1894, I watched a 



Bell — Barbastdlus daubentonu. strange bat, which I concluded to be this 



A rare and local species. The late Lord species. 



Lilford recorded a specimen which was ^^^^^ ^^ White's Bat (Noctule). PipU- 



brought al.ve to h.m from P.lton, near ^^^^^^^ „^^,„/^^ Schreber. 



Oundle m 1894 ; and he also told me m Bell-S../<,//5//«. noctuh. 



lOQD that he had two specimens from 1 itch- ,„, . . , . ■ j •_ 



^ , r-u u This IS our largest native species, and its 



marsh Church. , , . ^ _ . ° , .• . » j •.. 



habit of flying in the daylight renders it more 



3. Serotine Bat. Vespertilio serotinus, Schreber. familiar than many of the others. Lord Lil- 



Bell — Scotophilus serotinus. ford recorded it as ' inhabiting cavities in old 



This is also a rare and local species. In the trees.' I had a specimen brought me from 



» ' The Ch.irtley White Cattle,' Proc. North Staffs Field Club (January, 1 899), by Prof. W. Boyd 

 Dawkins ; also The tflld fVhlle Cattle 0/ Great Britain, by John Storer. 



129 



