Fauna of Shropshire and North Wales. 339 



derable abundance on the Welsh border^, in the neighbourhood of 

 Ellesmere. The far-famed river Severn traverses the county, to 

 which most of its brooks and rivers are tributary. 



The most extensive woodlands are those situated in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Wrekin and Ercal, a part of Bewdly forest, and the 

 woods adjoining. The county would, indeed, altogether be called a 

 wooded one, abounding with oak timber, and underwood. 



Those parts of North Wales which bound Shropshire are chiefly 

 composed of limestone hills, running far up into the principality, and 

 of the Cambrian system of rocks of Professor Sedgewick. Various 

 slates also occur, but no granite has as yet been discovered. A dike 

 of trap has, however, lately been mentioned by Mr Wyatt to the 

 Geological Society, discovered in the Penrhyn slate quarries. A 

 large coal-tield is found at Ruabon, and another smaller one at Chirk. 

 The whole of North Wales is thickly interspersed with lakes. From 

 the summit of Snowdon alone, above thirty may be counted, and 

 nearly every valley has its river. Many of the hills are partially 

 clothed with oak and birch underwood, arising from stumps of an- 

 cient date, in many instances probably the remains of Druidical 

 groves ; in many also' extensive plantations of the different sorts of 

 fir have been made. The sea coast is extensive, and consequently a 

 large proportion of marine animals are found. 



On the gravel deposits of Shropshire and Wales, which being the 

 uppermost, would probably in the greatest degree influence the dis- 

 tribution of species, a very interesting paper was read by Mr Mur- 

 chison to the Geological Section of the British Association, to which, 

 as the detail of it would far exceed my proposed limits, I must re- 

 fer those who are interested with the subject. 



The Brown Ace is the highest hill in Shropshire, (1805 feet 

 above the sea.) There are others, however, which nearly approach 

 it. The general level of the county may be said to be about 1000 

 feet lower. The summit of Snowdon is the most elevated point in 

 North Wales, (3571 feet above the sea,) from which we find points 

 of all heights to the actual coast. 



Mammalia. 



Vespertilio noctula, Desm. (Great Bat.) A specimen is in 

 my collection, killed near the castle, Shrewsbury. 



Vespertilio pipistrella, Geoff. (Common Bat.) Frequently 

 occurs. I once found upwards of twenty congregrated together in a 

 hole, by the side of a door-post, in the month of May. 



