Quadrupeds. 1767 



that fatty tissue which overlays the whole upper part of the back in winter, and which 

 is clearly a wise provision to sustain life and warmth during the torpidity of the long 

 winter months. It drank but little ; now and then it would take a drop of milk from 

 the tip of the finger. After eating it used to lick its jaw with great satisfaction, and 

 after awakening it invariably uttered a shrill cry before it seized the first mouthful. 

 One day, after the winter had set in, being called upon to exhibit its antics for the 

 amusement of some ladies, its legarthic slumbers were broken too quickly, and too in- 

 cautiously, and although as lively as usual, it did not resume its hibernation so soon as 

 heretofore. Alas ! it was its last display. Nature's laws will not be broken with im- 

 punity, and in a few days it had shared the fate of all pets, and now nothing remains 

 of it but its effigy. 



Description. 



t in. lin. 



Length of Head and Body 1 9 



„ Head only 6 



„ Tail 1 \\ 



„ Ears 3 



Tragus 2| 



^ Breadth of Ears 3 

 „ Tragus 1| 



„ Fore Arm 1 3 



Thumb If 



Extent of Wing 7 3 



Muzzle short : nose strongly notched in front, covered with rather long hair, 

 slight protuberance on each side : eyes veiy small, no wart of any kind above : ear 

 somewhat triangular, notched nearly half way from the head : tragus rather broader at 

 base, and rather obtuse : fur extremely silky, black, except the tips, which are dark 

 reddish-brown above, and on the under parts a shade or two paler. 



This description, although nearly agreeing with Vespertilio pipistrellus, appears to 

 differ from that species in the following items : — 



Less extent of wings, — no wart over the eyes, — less notched ears, — and the fur 

 being black throughout except the tips. 



As bats bring forth their young in the earliest spring, I did hope it had been a 

 female, but dissection proved the contrary. — Joseph Clark ;* Saffron Walden, April 

 30th, 1847. 



Voracity of the Mole. — A few weeks since, when walking in the country, T surprised 

 a mole, which had ventured out of his burrow, and had slipped into a wheel-rut. The 

 capture was easily made, and wishing to witness the rapid manner in which such ani- 

 mals can work themselves into the ground, I determined to take it home, and thrust 

 my captive into a middling-sized pocket, of what is usually termed a shooting-jacket. 

 Few persons are aware ot the great power possessed by this creature in its fore-paws, 

 and it requires considerable pressure to hold it in the hand. If the snout is inserted 

 between the finger and thumb (and this is done with great address) the body is in a 

 moment forced from the palm of the hand, by the application of these powerful limbs. 

 I found it continually endeavouring to escape by clambering to the upper part of the 

 pocket, and only by holding the top together did I prevent its getting out. In an ad- 



* Communicated by C. E. Bree, Esq., of Stowmarket. 



