The Zoologist^January, 1866. 9 



by the caplure of a field mouse, so that it appears these little marauders had, in their 

 own way, heeu re-eiiaciinfj the part of Dr. Bucklamrs hjajuas at Kiikdale, — dragging 

 their prey from the \voo(N, to Ije devdured in their den at leisnre. I am not aware 

 whether this habii of tlie field mouse has been observed : it was new to ine. I made 

 a careful examination of the wiii^s, and found among them remains of the following 

 twenty species: — Xylophasia polyodou (a few), Cliaraeas Graminis (a few), Luperina 

 testacea (a few), Agrolis suflfiisa and A. Segetum (abundantly), Triphsna orbona 

 (abundantly), Noctua glareosa (abundantly), N. fesliva and N. xanthographa (a few), 

 Orlhosia macilenta (in profusion), Anchocelis rufina and A. litura (several), Cerastis 

 Vaccinii (abundantly), Xauthia ferruginea (abundantly), Miselia Oxyacantbte (one 

 only), Agriopis aprilina (abundantly), Phlogopbora meticulosa (a few), Hadena glauca 

 (one only), Plusia Gamma (in hundreds), Amphipyra tragopogonis (one only). I had 

 sugared i'or several evenings in the immediate neighbourhood with very little success, 

 Miselia Oxyacantbse, Anchocelis lilura and Noctua glareosa being my only visitors, 

 and those very sparingly, and was glad to learn, even from a mouse, what was on the 

 w^ng ; for, alas for human vanity ! the schemes of mice and men do not appear to be 

 equally liable to come to naught. I found no remains of Geometry : although Scotosia 

 dubitata is not uncommon on the rocks around, and Cidaria immanata is abundant in 

 the wood in which the cave is situated, both would probably be out of the reach of 

 prowling mice. The wings found in the rocks were no doubt carried there by gusts of 

 wind. The cave is about twelve or fourteen feet in depth, and is situated immediately 

 under the ledge of rock known as the " Panorama Stone," one mile west of Ilkley, and 

 about six hundred feet above the River Wharfe. I ho|ie to look in occasionally upon 

 these industrious little entomologists, and, by noticing how their collection progresses, 

 perhaps learn something more of the Fauna of the district than I could find out for 

 myself. There were many wings, no doubt, of species which appear earlier in the 

 season, too much decayed to'be identified with certainly. 1 have only named tbose 

 about which there was no doubt. Wings of Orthosia macilenta formed fully one half the 

 collection, and that insect must be extremely abundant in the wood, although I have 

 not met with it during my stay here: its mode of life appears, in some way, specially 

 to expose it to the attacks of mice. The number of moths which a colony of field mice 

 will destroy during the summer must be something prodigious, and in winter I judge 

 they are active pupa-diggers, as I found in the cave several emptied cocoons of 

 Eriogaster lanestris. 'I'he only species of Noctua which I have met with here of 

 which there were no remains in the cave is Calocampa exoleta; this species, however, 

 is only just appearing, and will no doubt be found in the mouse's larder in due time. 

 —Edwin Birckali; IlkUy, Whirfdalt, October?, 1865. 



Notes on the Quadrupeds of Lanarkshire. 

 By Edward R. Alston, Esq. 



(Continued from page 9708). 



Bank Vole. — I have much pleasure in recording what I believe to 

 be an addition to the Fauna of Scotland, namely, the occurrence of the 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. I. C 



