4212 Dublin Natural History Society. 



Dublin Natural History Society. 

 December 9, 1853. — Charles Farran, Esq., M. D., in the chair. 



Donations. 

 Mr. Kinhahan begged to present to the Society from Dr. Corrigan a fine specimen 

 of the spiny cross-fish (Uraster glacialis), also Muller's topknot (Rhombus hirtus), both 

 taken in Dalkey Sound; and from himself the reddish gray bat (Vespertilio Nattereri),. 

 captured in the county of Kildare. As Mr. Kinahan's paper would be chiefly with 

 reference to this bat, he would not now offer remarks upon it. 



Natterers Bat. 

 Mr. Kinahan read a paper on the occurrence of Natterer's bat in the county Kil- 

 dare ; the substance of which appeared in the ■ Zoologist' for September last, (Zool. 

 p. 4012.) 



List of Irish Mammals. 



Mr. Kinahan made the following remarks on the Mammals of several parts of 

 Ireland : — 



" I beg to lay before you a local list of the distribution of the Mammalia of part of 

 Carlow, Kildare, and Queen's County, for which I am indebted to the kindness of the 

 same gentleman who gave me the bats, — F. Haughton, Esq. Pipistrelle— common ; 

 one, captured in 1853, in company with the next at Levitstown, county Kildare. Nat- 

 terer's bat, nine captured June, 1853, in Tankardstown-bridge, near Levitstown, county 

 Kildare — common, though perhaps local. Hedgehog — common. Badger — Kilma- 

 rony woods, Queen's County, rare. Otters, river Barrow— very common. Stoat — 

 very common. Common fox — very common. Long-tailed field mouse — common ; 

 Levitstown. Common mouse — very common. Black rat — Carlow ; single specimen 

 killed. Norway rat — common everywhere. Common marten — very rare ; last seen 

 about ten years since at Bestfield, Carlow. A skin obtained at Mount Leinster, 

 county Carlow, eighteen years since, was sent to the late Mr. Vigors by T. Haughton, 

 Esq. Irish, or varying 4 hare — rather rare ; Oakpark. Rabbit — common. Common 

 squirrel — very rare ; existed formerly in Pollerton, county Carlow, and said still to be 

 found in Burton Hall woods. This list, though containing but few rarities, is of im- 

 portance, as all authentic local lists are valuable. It contains but four rare animals. 

 The squirrel, concerning which many doubt its ever having been indigenous ; it is 

 said in Nulty's ' History of Dublin,' to have been found in Luttrelstown woods, near 

 this city ; and there is a tradition that they used to be found near Clondalkin. The 

 other three rarities are — the marten, the black rat, and the badger, all of which, from 

 various causes, are becoming more and more rare in this country. There is one remark- 

 able omission in the list, the long-eared bat, which we might have expected to find., 

 I made, myself, particular inquiries about it, and could get no tidings of it, so I 

 suppose it does not exist here." 



Mr. Williams and Mr. Montgomery said that they were of opinion that in the more 

 remote districts those animals were still frequent. The badger, Mr. Williams observed, 

 was constantly met with in parts of Kerry ; and Mr. Montgomery stated that in Mayo 

 and Donegal neither the badger nor marten was scarce. 





