MAMMALS 



From its inland position and the absence of large tracts of moorland or 

 forest, Leicestershire is naturally deficient in the larger mammals which occur 

 in seaboard or wilder districts of Britain ; for although the red deer is found 

 in the county it is in no sense fera naturae, but is confined in a few parks 

 notably at Bradgate where it is of course quite tame. 



No trace of the wild cat has yet been discovered, although records of 

 tame cats which are leading a wild life and have become savage are constantly 

 occurring. 



The pine-marten has been extinct for forty or fifty years, and the pole- 

 cat is no longer found. Badgers are, however, fairly common, and the otter 

 is to be found occasionally in the Soar and other streams. 



Only seven of the British bats have occurred in the county, so that all 

 specimens procured should be carefully examined for new or allied species. 

 No authenticated record of the black rat exists, nor of the wild boar, which 

 probably occurred here up to mediaeval times. 



CHEIROPTERA 



1 . Long-eared Bat. Pkcotut auritus, Linn. 



Locally, Horned Bat. 



Resident, but unevenly distributed, therefore not 

 common. Several have reached the Leicester Museum 

 from various parts of the county, the last one in 1903, 

 from the Victoria Road Church, Leicester. 



2. Barbastelle. Barbastella barbastellus, Schreber. 



Bell Barbastellus daubentonn. 



Rare. The late Rev. A. Matthews showed me a 

 specimen which I recognized as this curious little 

 bat, procured at Gumley about 1876 ; this is the only 

 record. 



3. Noctule. Plpistreltus noctula, Schreber. 



'Qe.ViScotophilus noctula. White FesfertiRo alti- 

 volans. 



Locally, Great Bat, High-flier, Rat Bat. 

 Resident and generally distributed. Harley re- 

 marked that this species appeared to be most common 

 in the vicinity of the town of Leicester, and was 

 often observed on still summer evenings. The Rev. A. 

 Matthews told me in March, 1885, that one broil- 

 ing hot day in July, some years before, at mid-day, 

 when the air was perfectly bright and clear, he 

 observed swallows circling at an immense altitude, and 

 above them, at a much higher elevation, four large 

 bats, which he supposed to be of this species. 1 



1 Although Gilbert White named thi bat alti-volaas, from thil 

 very habit of feeding high in the air (see Letter 36 to Pennant), 

 yet hi remarks did not apply to its doing this before the even- 

 ing, and the observations of the late Rev. A. Matthews are, I 

 believe, unparalleled in the history of this species. 



On 8 July, 1885, I shot one flying over the canal 

 by St. Mary's mills, Aylestone, which fell into the 

 water, and on examination I found it to be a female 

 containing a naked foetus. I have seen it so late as 

 October, but on I November, 1886, a fine specimen 

 was brought to me, which had been shot by the canal 

 at Aylestone, this being a very late date for its appear- 

 ance, only paralleled, I believe, by Mr. Harting's 

 date.' In June, 1887, I shot a male and a female by 

 the mill at Aylestone. The latter specimen appearing 

 gravid, I carefully opened it, and discovered two well- 

 developed but naked foetus. I cannot find in any 

 notice of this species that it is credited with having 

 more than one young at a birth. 



4. Pipistrelle. Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Schreber. 



Bell Scotophilus pipistrellus. 



Locally, Common Bat, Flitter-Mouse, Hat Bat. 

 Resident and commonly distributed. Harley noticed 

 that this species is often observed on the wing during 

 the day, and remarked that in this it differs from the 

 'Great Bat.' I received twelve from Belvoir on 

 1 3 July, 1885, and have procured several at Aylestone, 

 Kibworth, Broughton Astley, and various parts of the 

 county, this species appearing indeed to be par excel- 

 lence the ' common ' bat. Its strange name of ' hat ' 

 bat, which is commonly applied, appears to be 

 founded upon the childish rhyming invitation to 

 come under the would-be captor's hat and be feasted 

 upon bacon ! 



t Zool. 1887, p. 169. 



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