A HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE 



imported 100 red deer from Houghton Park. But ill fate befell them. 

 In 1731 there were 1,300 deer; in 1806 only 318. Many had been 

 starved to death, many killed by poachers, and in 1814 the remainder 

 were driven into the park where they have been preserved ever since. 

 An account of the other deer parks in the county will be given in the 

 notes. 



Of stoats and weasels and such * small deer ' Berkshire has plenty, 

 though the latter are diminishing rapidly in numbers. Rabbits in spite 

 of the Ground Game Act abound, and in many pans hares are still 

 plentiful. Some interesting animals are preserved in Windsor Park, 

 notably moufflons, which are very shy and strongly resent intrusion 

 into their privacy. There are also some German white deer. 



CHEIROPTERA 



1. Greater Horse-shoe Bat. Rhinolophus 



ferrum-equinum, Schreber. 

 Probably not uncommon in Berkshire, as it 

 is often found lower down the Thames valley, 

 and frequents Regent's Park in London. It 

 has been seen on the Berkshire side of the 

 Thames at Oxford flying over the reservoir. 



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

 The most remarkable of the English species 



in having ears nearly as long as its head and 

 body. Common in most parts of the county. 

 They are not unfrequently seen in churches, 

 disturbed by the service. Their long ears are 

 unmistakable. These bats frequent the cave 

 at Park Place owned by Mr. Heatley Noble. 



3. Barbastelle. Barbastella barbastellus, 



Schreber. 



Bell Barbastellas daubentonii. 

 This bat is found below the Berkshire boun- 

 dary in the Thames valley, and is not uncom- 

 mon in Richmond Park. Consequently it is 

 probable that it is also found higher up the 

 river. 



Bechstein's Bat. 

 ler. 



Myotis bechsteini, Leis- 



Bell Fespertilio bechsteinii. 

 A specimen of this rare bat was taken in 

 the cave mentioned before, on Mr. Heatley 

 Noble's property, by Mr. J. G. Millais. 



5. Natterer's Bat. Myotis natter eri, Kuhl. 



Bell Vespertilio nattereri. 

 This bat is also found in the cave, above 

 mentioned. The colony is a very large one. 



6. Daubenton's Bat. Myotis daubentoni, 



Leisler. 



Bell Vespertilio daubentonii. 

 Common all along the Thames. They are 

 found at Park Place which appears to be a 

 centre for several other species. 



7. Whiskered Bat. Myotis mystacinus, Leis- 



ler. 



Bell Vespertilio mystacinus. 

 This is also on record as a Berkshire species, 

 having been seen at Welford in 1852. 



INSECTIVORA 



8. Hedgehog. Erinaceus europ&us, Linn. 



As partridge preserving is very little at- 

 tended to in the Vale of the White Horse, and 

 large hedgerows abound, hedgehogs are very 

 numerous there. Elsewhere in the county 

 fields, gardens, orchards and woods are equally 

 agreeable to them, and abundance of insect 

 food is at their disposal. They are frequently 

 found killed by foxes, the skin being turned 

 neatly inside out. The beautiful lawns, 

 which are a feature of Berkshire gardens, are 

 favourite nightly hunting grounds of the 

 hedgehogs, which are often found rolled up 



tight in a tennis net. 

 much less common. 



On the downs they are 



9. Mole. 7alpa europtsa, Linn. 



There are perhaps more moles in Berkshire 

 than in any county. There must be hun- 

 dreds of thousands on the downs, where they 

 work easily in the friable surface soil. In the 

 vale they are also very plentiful. At Lock- 

 inge Rectory, in the diaries of John Aldworth, 

 who was rector in the eighteenth century, 

 entries occur of payments for ' wanting Ard- 

 ington Mead,' want being a local name for 



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