( 881 ) 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 

MAMMALIA. 
The so-called Mus hibernicus,—We have read with interest Mr 
Southwell’s notes (p. 321) on the singular Rats captured at Norwich, and are 
quite inclined to think with him that there would appear to be combined 
in them the characters of Mus decumanus and Mus alexandrinus, or 
Mus rattus. We have, however, no hesitation in saying that they are not 
the Mus hihernicus of Thompson. Since the account was written by 
Mr. Clarke for the ‘Fauna of the Outer Hebrides,” we have examined 
about a score of specimens—chiefly in the flesh—of Mus hibernicus, and 
propose shortly to give the readers of ‘The Zoologist’ the results of our 
examinations and other investigations. Meanwhile we should be glad to 
receive information on the occurrence of Mus hibernicus, or of black varieties 
of the Common Rat, Mus decumanus, from any part of the British Isles.— 
Wo. Eacie Crarxe and Greratp Barrert-Hamitron. 
Natterer’s Bat in North Oxfordshire.—Since the appearance of the 
Editor’s article (p. 241) on the distribution of Natterer’s Bat in Great 
Britain I have discovered the existence of this species in a new locality. 
The church here is inhabited by a considerable number of bats, which are 
not infrequently observed by the congregation flitting about the edifice 
during evening service. These bats annoy our parish clerk considerably. 
Not long ago he was complaining to me of the mess they made in the 
church, and I asked him to bring me any he happened to catch. He said 
he would, but explained that they dwelt during the day in an inaccessible 
hole in the roof of the nave, and also that a raid made upon them by night 
some time ago with ladders and bat-fowling nets had been almost entirely 
unsuccessful. The Barn Owl usually rears its young in the belfry, and no 
doubt keeps down the number of the bats to some extent; but this year 
I have not noticed them. Jackdaws and Starlings inhabit the spire, 
and the Sparrow is of course quartered on the building. The only bat 
I have hitherto received from the church was brought to me on August 6th, 
having been captured, just before 6 p.m., while flying about the church- 
yard among the elms and pollard ashes which stand rather thickly on 
the south side. Showers had fallen during the day, but it was a sunny 
afternoon. It proved to be a male specimen of Natterer’s Bat, and I can 
add that my identification has been confirmed by Mr. J. E. Kelsall, who 
has kindly examined the skin. Bloxham is about fifteen miles, as the crow 
flies, from Charlton-on-Otmoor, the other Oxfordshire locality of which 
I sent the Editor notice. The flight of this bat, during the evening it 
lived in my room, was easy and direct, but rather slow. It refused house- 
