4236 The Zoologist — November, 1874. 



is occasionally procured in the maritime counties of our eastern 

 coast. 



Those who may desire a little more information as regards 

 the geographical distribution of this handsome species, cannot 

 do better than turn to the account which is given of it in 

 Professor Newton's edition of 'Yarrell's British Birds' (vol. i. 

 pp. 233, 240) — to which account, it will be seen, I have already 

 referred. 



Correction of an Error. — I think you have doue some injustice to 

 Mr. Yarrell in the last number of the 'Zoologist,' which I am sure you 

 will be glad to correct. Quoting (S. S. 4174) a passage from the revised 

 edition of his book, you say : — " This, however, seems little more than a 

 copy of Macgillivray." Now the passage in question flret appeared in 

 May, 1838 ('British Birds,' 1st edition, part vi. vol. i. p. 256), while 

 Macgillivray 's account, from which you say it seems to have been copied, 

 was not published until 1839. The slight alteration made by myself in 

 the passage for the revised edition has no bearing on the question of 

 originality, and therefore T need not further refer to it. — Alfred Newton; 

 Bloxworth, Blandford, October Q, 1874. 



[I extremely regret the mistake, but it seems a very natui-al one, as the 

 first edition of Yarrell is dated 1843. I trust the publication of Professor 

 Newton's note, for wliich I am much obliged, will remedy any misappre- 

 hension which my observation might have caused. — Edward Newman.] 



nairj'-armcd Bat in County Dublin. — I am enabled to add the County 

 Dublin to the three counties recorded in the 'Zoologist' for Jul}', as a 

 habitat of the hairy-armed bat, having shot a specimen near Glasnevin on 

 the 30th of July last. — J. Dow/his Ogilby ; 11, Mark Street, Portrush. 



Lesser Slirews and Bank Voles. — I know not if lesser shrews and bank 

 voles are rare enough to interest you. I obtained four bank voles, one field 

 vole, and one lesser shrew this summer, all in Sparham. Of three bank 

 voles caught in a pitfall, two were immature specimens, taken on the 29th 

 of July and 8ih of August respectively; the third specimen, a savage old 

 male, caught on the 13th of August, refused to give up his right to a 

 laburnum seed, fought for it, and followed, squeaking, the hand that took it : 

 this specimen was larger and still more ferruginous than the two immature 

 specimens. An old female bank vole containing five young, brought by a 

 cat on the 20th of August, was larger and redder than the old male ; ear 

 six lines long and six broad, the whitish fringe at the back of the ear not 

 quite so conspicuous as in the other three specimens ; base of tail covered 

 with long hair like that of the body. Commou shrews, longtailed field mice 



