Notes an!) queries. 65 



the fore legs of the animal, or more probably from its twisting or throwing 

 aside the earth in its rapid burrowing, as seen from the surface. — Harold 

 Raeburn (31, Clare Road, Halifax). 



Lesser Horseshoe Bat in the Washburn Valley, Yorkshire. — On 

 Dec. 8th I was fortunate enough to meet with a good specimen of the 

 Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros, hybernating in an old 

 coal-mine near to the head of the Washburn. I have the satisfaction of 

 adding this Bat to the fauna of the Washburn Valley, as I had in Nidder- 

 dale some years ago. — Wm. Storey (Fewston Lodge, near Odey). 



Whiskered Bat in Yorkshire. — I have taken the Whiskered Bat, 

 Vespertilio mystacinus, several times in the Washburn Valley, as high as 

 900 ft, above sea-level. — Wm. Storey (Fewston Lodge, near Otley). 



Seasonal Changes of Colour in the Fur of Mammals : how brought 

 about. — I have given attention to this question for some time, and 

 from my observations I find I must differ from the opinion held by most 

 recent writers, viz., "that there are two moults in the year; so that, 

 in the case of animals which turn white in winter, the change is brought 

 about by moult." I maintain that there is but one moult in the year, 

 and that takes place in the spring, and during the warm months this 

 moult is complete, every hair being shed; so that before the time for 

 taking on the winter dress arrives, the animal has an entirely new coat, 

 which is not shed till the following year. The period over which the 

 moult extends varies according to the necessities and condition of the 

 animal. In some animals part of the old fur remains during the greater 

 part of the summer, and being then old aud faded, gives the animal a 

 peculiar summer dress, there being some lapse of time between the main 

 moult and the coming of the new hairs ; the new coat growing beneath 

 these old hairs, they gradually fall out. In most instances the new coat is 

 darker or richer in colour than before the moult, being also much shorter 

 and thinner ; as autumn comes on gradually lengthening and thickening, 

 and by degrees changing in colour, not by moult, but by change of pigment 

 in the existing hairs to that of the full winter dress, which in northern 

 latitudes is frequently pure white. — W. E. de Winton (Graftonbury). 



CETACEA. 



Grampus on the Norfolk Coast.— The occurrence of two very juvenile 

 examples of Orca gladiator on the coast of Norfolk, on Nov. 13th and 19th, 

 1894, is a matter of some interest, if only as indicating the season of repro- 

 duction of this species, of which I have seen no certain information. These 

 two specimens (one of which I had the opportunity of examining) were 

 evidently very young, and probably had not taken solid food. They 

 measured about 7 ft. 5 in. and 7 ft. 6 in. respectively in total length, and 



