The Zoologist — September, 1874. 4125 



Notes on British Bats. By William Borrer, Esq. 



Although I have nothing to say very worthy of record 

 respecting the British bats, such notes as I have from lime to 

 time made I with pleasure place at your disposal, and I will 

 commence with — 



Vespertilio Noctula. — Well denominated by the immortal Gilbert 

 White " Altivolans," for I have never seen any other species so 

 truly swift-like and ethereal in its flight as this. Its habits have 

 been already so well described that I shall make but few remarks 

 on it. It seems to be very generally diff'used throughout the South 

 of England. Bell, quoting White, says he has never seen it till 

 the end of April nor later than July. At Henfield, in Sussex, I shot 

 one on the 26lh of September, 1841. It was a damp warm evening, 

 and it was flying very low. It was very fat, and when skinned the 

 body looked like a lump of bacon. It had probably been tempted 

 by the warmth to come forth from its intended winter quarters. 

 I have this note : — On the 3rd of November, 1862, 1 observed three 

 large bats, flying round my house at Cowfold, Sussex, at 5 p. M. 

 One I shot, and it proved, as I expected from its flight, to be a 

 Noctuie. I have frequently seen this bat flying late in October. 

 A few years since (but I made no note of it) I was surprised to 

 hear a great squeaking of bats behind an old door, which had been 

 closed up, on the south side of Cowfold Church. As a rule, I do 

 not think the species mix much together in their places of resort or 

 hybernation ; and I conclude that these were Noctules, as one of 

 this species had forced his muzzle into a little round hole, which 

 no doubt formerly contained a handle, much probably to the dis- 

 comfort of his companions, as they must have been half-roasted, 

 the door being so heated by the sun that it was unpleasantly warm 

 to the hand: "Hinc illse lachrymae." 



Vespertilio Lesleri I have never seen, nor V. discolor. 



Vespertilio pipistrellus. — Of V. pipistrellus I have nothing to 

 mention except that, many years since, I took several specimens at 

 Ensbury, in Dorsetshire, of a very rusty red colour, nearly that of 

 the dormouse ; but I could see no reason to think them any other 

 than Pipistrellus. 



Vespertilio pygmceus. — I believe the only British specimen is in 

 the British Museum. 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. IX. 2 T 



