A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



deeply folded or reduplicated, and the extra- 

 ordinary hollow behind the naked nose, ex- 

 tending thence to the ears, are unmistakable. 

 The hair is very dark, with a purple tinge, and 

 so long as to be almost shaggy. A small ill- 

 defined patch on the under-side near the root 

 of the tail is nearly white. 



In the Zoologist, 1874, p. 4128, Mr. Wil- 

 liam Borrer records the barbastelle from South 

 Weston (near Tetsworth), Oxfordshire, and 

 from Hornsey, Middlesex, on either side of 

 Bucks, the former place being only about 3f 

 miles from Bucks. The late Lord Lilford 

 received a solitary specimen from near Oundle 

 in Northamptonshire in March 1 894 (Zoologist, 

 1894, p. 187). 



3. Serotine. Fespertilio serotinus, Schrebcr. 

 Bell Scotophilus serotinus. 



The late Lord Lilford (Zoologist, 1887, 

 p. 65) states that he had never succeeded in 

 obtaining this species in Northamptonshire, 

 but felt certain that it occurs occasionally 

 near Lilford ; but as its mode of flight, 

 general coloration, make, and extent of 

 wings, very much resemble those of the noc- 

 tule, it is impossible to speak positively with- 

 out having handled a specimen in the flesh. 

 He received examples from Sussex and Hamp- 

 shire. 



In Bucks I have frequently noticed ' rat- 

 bats,' i.e. bats of the largest size, 1 of ob- 

 viously different species, flying about at the 

 same time. One species would be the noc- 

 tule, and the serotine probably another. 



[Parti-coloured Bat. Fespertilio murinus, 

 Linn. 



Mr. Oldfield Thomas considers this species 

 only doubtfully British.] 



4. Noctule (Great or White's Bat). Pipis- 

 trellus noctula, Schreber. 



Bell Scotophilus noctula. 

 White Vespertilk altivolans. 



Common, and apparently universally dis- 

 tributed in the county ; but essentially (so 

 far as my own experience goes) a summer 

 bat, very seldom appearing like some other 

 species at odd times during every month of 

 the year. At Great Marlow, noctules were 

 always very common during August, but 

 little seen after that month ; and though not 

 absent, yet not specially in evidence during 

 June or even July. One was found dead 

 there in March, and I shot one at my present 



home on 30 September, which are somewhat 

 unusual dates for meeting with this species. 2 

 I always supposed that their habitat at Great 

 Marlow was the creeper-covered spire of St. 

 Peter's (R. C.) church ; but as there were 

 plenty of old elms, containing numerous large 

 hollows, close to the river, both on our lawn, 

 and especially at Court Garden, besides others 

 a little further inland, it is more probable that 

 some of these trees harboured them. Many 

 years ago a large number of bats, probably 

 this species, were found in a hollow poplar 

 on our lawn at Great Marlow. I have an 

 example stuffed, which was captured (by 

 the butler) in a butterfly net on our lawn at 

 Great Marlow, one August evening about 

 the middle of the ' sixties ' ; and have since 

 then obtained various others both at Great 

 Marlow and at my present abode in Hamble- 

 den parish. They appear to be more numer- 

 ous at the former than at the latter place. 

 The fur is reddish brown, occasionally light 

 fawn red ; muzzle, ears and membranes, 

 dusky. Hair on membranes, and along under- 

 side of fore-arms. 



[Hairy-armed Bat. 

 Kuhl.] 



Pipistrellus leisleri, 



1 The smaller species are known indiscrimin- 

 ately as ' bat-mice.' 



5. Pipistrelle. Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Schre- 

 ber. 



Bell Scotophilus piptstrellus. 

 Probably by far the commonest bat in 

 Bucks ; it was so at Great Marlow, but at 

 my farm near Hambleden I think the long- 

 eared bat outnumbers it. As however it 

 generally flies low, and largely frequents the 

 vicinity of houses, and is abroad on many 

 more days of the year and oftener by day- 

 light than most other species, the pipistrelle 

 is more noticeable and more readily captured, 

 and therefore appears proportionately com- 

 moner than it is in reality. 



2 Mr. T. Wolley however, writing in the 

 Zoologist, 1845, p. 952, says : ' The Noctule does 

 not retire for hibernation nearly so early in the 

 autumn as it is generally said to do. I had long 

 observed its late disappearance in the south of 

 Buckinghamshire, where it is very abundant ; but 

 I have more particularly watched it at Cambridge, 

 and now for two seasons I have seen it throughout 

 the first week in November. Both years my 

 observations were put an end to by cold and 

 stormy weather. This year (1845) I first saw it on 

 the 2 5th of March, . . . it might have been about 

 for several days previously.' Gilbert White, who 

 first noticed this species in England, says (note to 

 Letter XXVIII.) that he had never seen them 

 ' till the end of April, nor after July. They are 

 most common in June,' 



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