17 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Another observation of Gilbert White was to the effect that 

 this bat emits a very offensive odour, a circumstance which must 

 have been remarked by every one who has handled a living 

 specimen. Mr. D'Urban, of Exeter, states that it possesses two 

 large glands m the mouth, from which this odour is emitted. It 

 is much infested with parasites, as indeed is the case with other 

 species of bats which we have examined in a living state. An 

 experiment of putting a minute drop of prussic acid on the 

 tongue of a Noctule, in order to kill it speedily, resulted in the 

 unlooked-for effect of causing all the parasites to die and drop off 

 before the animal itself had ceased to live. While on the subject 

 of parasites, it may be well to direct attention to Prof. Westwood's 

 paper on the parasites of bats, published in the ' Transactions of 

 the Zoological Society,' vol. i. pp. 275 - 294. This paper, which 

 is illustrated, will be found useful by those who wish to learn 

 something on this subject. 



It is well known that the Noctule is gregarious, and that 

 large numbers are sometimes found clustered together in hollow 

 trees. Mr. Gurney states that the sexes live in separate colonies, 

 the females being more numerous. Upon this we may remark 

 that in February last an old and decayed tree was felled in the 

 Bishop of London's park at Fulham, in the hollow of which were 

 found clinging a solitary pair of Noctules. They were brought 

 to us alive the following day, and proved to be male and female. 

 From one of these the accompanying portrait was drawn by 

 Mr. G. E. Lodge. Note the position in which the tail is carried 

 as compared with that of R. ferrum-equinum (Plate I.) 



We have no information as to the occurrence of this species 

 in Wales, although it is met with as far to the south-west as 

 Cornwall (c/. Cocks, 'Naturalist,' i. (1851), p. 37). We should 

 be glad also to receive some confirmation (or refutation) of the 

 statement (Bell, p. 23) that in England the northernmost locality 

 from which specimens have been received is Northallerton, in 

 Yorkshire. Certainly it is not included in the excellent Catalogue 

 of the Mammalia of Northumberland and Durham (Trans. Tyne- 

 side Nat. Field Club, vol. vi. (1864), pp. 111-177),* although, 

 strange to say, a single specimen of V. serotinus (usually regarded 

 as more southern in its distribution) is stated by them to have 

 been taken at Cleadon, and to be preserved in the museum at 



* Mr. R. B, Lee informs lis that it occurs at Kendal. 



