A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



CHEIROPTERA 



1. Greater Horseshoe Bat. Rhinolophus 



ferrum-equinum, Schreber. 

 Like most of the rarer bats this species 

 appears to be very restricted in its range. 

 The greater horseshoe bat is not known as 

 a resident within the county, and we have 

 only been able to ascertain the capture of a 

 single specimen, which was found hiding in 

 the sail of a lugger on Brighton beach in 

 January, 1890. It was sent in the flesh to 

 Mr. Eardley Hall at Henfield, where we 

 have recently seen it. 



2. Long-eared Bat. Plecotus auritus, Linn. 

 The long-eared bat is generally distributed 



and common throughout the county. Mr. 

 Borrer has recorded a 'snow-white' specimen 

 taken in May, 1872, at Horsham; a similar 

 specimen from the same premises was in the 

 possession of the late Mr. Frederick Bond 

 {Zoologist, 1874, p. 4128). The large ears, 

 hy which the species may easily be identified, 

 are laid backwards along the shoulders when 

 the animal is at rest. This bat is generally 

 described as an inhabitant of the open country, 

 but we have found it frequently in wooded 

 districts, and hibernating in the same cave 

 with Bechstein's, Natterer's and Daubenton's 

 bats. All these species even in January will 

 soon shake off their torpidity and fly about a 

 room. 



3. Barbastelle. Barbastella barbastellus, Schr. 



Bell ' — Barbastellus daubentonii. 

 The only recorded instance of the barbas- 

 telle for Sussex is the statement by Mr. C. 

 W. Brazenor that in 1886 he received a 

 specimen from his brother, which was shot 

 by the latter at Horsham {Zoologist, 1887, 

 p. 151). On a recent visit however to Mr. 

 Eardley Hall he showed us a beautiful speci- 

 men of this rare bat which he had taken with 

 two others from an old summer house in his 

 garden at Henfield in the spring of 1880. 

 The barbastelle is easily recognized by its 

 rich dark coat interspersed with white hair 

 on the back. Mr. Hall, who has made a 

 special study of the British bats and knew of 

 the existence of this family party, says that 

 they invariably fly by day. 



4. Serotine. Vespertilio serotinus, Schr. 



Bell — Scotophilus serotinus. 

 In 1 85 1 the late Mr. W. Borrer turned 

 out at Cowfold fifteen specimens of this 

 species which he had brought from Dover 



1 j4 History of British Quadrupeds, ed. 2 (1874), 



Castle, Kent. In the following year they 

 were seen at Cowfold, after which they dis- 

 appeared ; but in 1870 or 1871 Mr. Borrer 

 found this bat common at Henfield, and 

 formed the opinion that his specimens had 

 probably migrated to that place {Zoologist, 

 1874, p. 4126). There is a colony of 

 about twenty individuals established beneath 

 the eaves of the rectory at Guestling, Hast- 

 ings. The Rev. E. N. Bloomfield writes 

 that he first noticed them about the year 

 1888. They first appear about the middle 

 of April, and are last seen towards the end 

 of October. They are usually preceded in 

 their vespertinal flight by the smaller species, 

 Plecotus auritus and Pipistrellus pipistrellus. 

 Examples of both sexes and of the young 

 have been taken from outhouses on the estate 

 of Mr. W. Lucas-Shadwell at Fairlight, 

 Hastings (Ruskin Butterfield). Mr. Eardley 

 Hall discovered a colony at the Vicarage 

 house, Burpham, Arundel, on April 27, 

 1893. He noticed eighteen in all, and was 

 so severely bitten that blood was drawn 

 {Zoologist, 1893, pp. 223, 224). In the 

 following year he also noticed a colony in 

 Arundel church. The same observer states 

 that the serotines are still numerous at Hen- 

 field, and that they do not fly at a high 

 elevation like the noctule, but often close 

 to the ground. Two bats assigned to this 

 species by Mr. W. B. Ellis were obtained in 

 the roof of the parish church at Arundel, 

 October 5, 1893. Next day he received a 

 third 'killed four miles away ' {Zoologist, 1893, 

 p. 458). 



5. Noctule or Great Bat. Pipistrellus noctula, 



Schr. 



Bell — Scotophilus noctula. 

 This species, the Vespertilio altivolans of 

 Gilbert White,* ' from it's manner of feeding 

 high in the air,' is common in most parts of 

 Sussex. The late Professor T. Bell con- 

 sidered that the noctule was rarely seen abroad 

 much later than July, but it may frequently 

 be seen in August and September, and Mr. 

 William Borrer shot one at Cowfold on 

 November 3, 1862. The number of young 

 produced at a birth is stated by some authori- 

 ties to be two, but we have never taken 

 more than one embryo from the same parent. 



6. Pipistrelle. Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Schr. 



Bell — Scotophilus pipistrellus. 



* Nat. Hist. Selborne, Letter xxxvi. to Penn.int, 

 orig. cd. p. 93. 



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