4072 The Zoologist — July, 1874. 



resides at Orange Hill, near Tandragee, asking him to examine 

 the old beech trees for specimens. His search was unsuccessful, 

 and none could be found. On the 18th of May he made a second 

 search, and found the bats in considerable numbers in one of the 

 hollow trees. As with me, they flew out so fast and fluttered so 

 much that he captured very few — four, 1 think. Having sent one 

 to me, I was not long in recognizing the si)ecimen as the hairy- 

 armed bat. Not content with one, I wrote for some more, and on 

 May 22nd another raid was made. The old hollow beech tree from 

 which so many had flown on the 18th was found to be quite deserted ; 

 but after a brief search squeaking was heard high up in another, 

 perhaps thirty-five feet from the ground. A ladder was obtained, and 

 on examination the colony was found to be in a hollow bough of the 

 tree. The cavity had two orifices, one in the trunk, the other in 

 the bough itself. A bag was nailed over the lower opening, and 

 the bats were poked out from above. In this way sixteen were 

 taken. This nest was very inconsiderable, when compared with 

 the large one visited a few days previously. Twelve were trans- 

 milled to me, alive, by post. 1 understand the post-office officials 

 were delighted to get rid of the n)yslerious parcel from which such 

 strange sounds issued. The animals were none the worse for the 

 journey, but scrambled and flew about in the liveliest manner when 

 the box was opened. They were all of the hairy-armed species. 

 I have presented two specimens to the British Museum and two to 

 the Royal Dublin Society's Museum. Dr. Giinthcr informed me 

 that this species would readily take food, but my eflbrls to induce 

 them to eat either flies or meat were unavailing. 



I have made use of the word "nest" in the foregoing accoinit of 

 the habits of this bat ; but I wish it to be understood that this word, 

 in the way I have used it, does not imply anything more than a 

 collection or number of bats clinging to the rotten brown wood in 

 the liollow of the tree, or clinging to one another in a bundle or 

 swarm. There was no structure, nor was there any arrangement 

 of the decayed wood that I could perceive, so as to make a " nest," 

 strictly so called. 



Let us now see wliat is said about this bat in Mr. Bell's new 

 edition: — "It was first discovered in Germany by Leisler, and is 

 described by Kuhl ; but I am not aware that it has ever before 

 been figured. The present representation was taken from a figure 

 in the British Museum, the only one known to have been found in 



