MAMMALS 



miles around Birmingham and consequently a considerable area in 

 Warwickshire. 



Subsequently to the appearance of the above Mr. J. Steele Elliott 

 printed a Vertebrate Fauna of Sutton Coldfield Park, which is of great 

 interest, the locality, it may be observed, being quite a classical one with 

 the zoologists of the midland counties. For the use of a copy of that 

 work the writer is indebted to the kindness of Mr. J. Steele Elliott 

 himself. 



CHEIROPTERA 



1. Lesser Horse-shoe Bat. Rhinolophus hip- 



poiiderus, Bechstein. 



This is a local rather than a rare species. 

 The writer has seen it in considerable num- 

 bers in its diurnal retreats in the roof of the 

 mansion at Ragley, and in smaller numbers 

 near Stratford and Warwick, always in build- 

 ings, either singly or in numbers. 



In no instance has the greater horse-shoe 

 bat been noted as occurring in Warwick- 

 shire, though it is reported in the Fauna and 

 Flora of Gloucester as occurring in that 

 county. 



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

 A common though not very numerous bat 



which frequents a great many localities in the 

 county, and, whether when feeding after 

 nightfall or in its diurnal retreat, appears to 

 be solitary, though several are occasionally 

 found near together. It takes its food, as the 

 writer can affirm from personal observation, 

 both on the wing and when at rest. It 

 hovers in front of foliage and takes the in- 

 sects which are resting on the leaves. 



3. Barbastelle. Barbastella barbastellus, Schre- 



ber. 



Bell Barbastellus daubentonn. 

 A solitary and by no means common 

 species, which frequents several, perhaps 

 many, localities in the county. The writer 

 has obtained it at Alcester and also at Wei- 

 ford and Weston on the Avon, which al- 

 though in Gloucestershire are only removed 

 from Warwickshire by two or three hundred 

 paces. It has also been found in or near the 

 town of Warwick. The place of retirement 

 for the day is very varied, indeed almost any 

 hole or crack, either in a building or tree, is 

 suitable. 



4. Great or White's Bat. Pipistrellus noctula, 



Schreber. 



Bell Scotophilus noctula. 

 White Vespertilio altivolans. 

 A common species in the valley 

 Avon and indeed throughout the 



of the 

 county, 



feeding largely on the cockchafer in the 

 early part of the summer and other large 

 species of Coleoptera at a later period. The 

 crushing of their hard elytra in the process of 

 mastication may be very distinctly heard on 

 those evenings when the flight is not too high 

 up. During the day this bat retires to holes 

 in trees. 



5. Pipistrelle. Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Schreber. 



Bell Scotophilus pipistrellus. 

 A common but solitary species frequenting 

 buildings and flitting to and fro in any shel- 

 tered spot, either among the stems of trees 

 or buildings, but never, so far as the writer 

 has observed, amongst foliage. Any hole will 

 serve its turn as a place of rest for the day, 

 whether in a tree or building. 



6. Natterer's Bat. Myotis nattereri, Kuhl. 



Bell fespertilio nattereri. 

 A thoroughly gregarious species, at least so 

 far as its diurnal retreat is concerned. Very 

 local in its distribution, the only places in the 

 county where it has been observed by the 

 writer being at Arrow, near Alcester, where 

 some years since there was quite a large 

 colony in the roof of the church, and at 

 Temple Grafton. At the latter place it was 

 shot while on the wing in the evening, and 

 a considerable number were noticed. 



7. Daubenton's Bat. Myotts daubentoni, 



Leisler. 



Bell Vespertilh daubentonil. 

 Common and frequenting water, especially 

 that which is stagnant, close to the surface of 

 which it flits ; but as it comes abroad rather 

 late it is not easily observed. The writer has 

 seen it on the Avon in many places in the 

 county, as at Warwick, where it was numerous 

 beneath and near the arches of the bridge as 

 well as in close proximity to the castle ; also 

 over the stagnant water near the railway 

 station, formerly in the grounds of the priory. 

 At Stratford it occurs in considerable num- 

 bers, reposing during the day in the tower of 

 the church, and at Bidford and Binton. It 



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