304 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



MAMMALIA. 



The Marten in Co, Down. — Mr. Sheals, the taxidermist, of Belfast, 

 reports that a large male Marten, Martes sylvatica, Nils., was trapped by 

 Major Maxwell's keeper at Finnebrogue, Downpatrick, on the 4th April 

 last. No doubt the keeper was rejoiced, but naturalists will hear of the 

 occurrence with regret. This beautiful animal, once so great an ornament 

 in all our large woods, even in the South of England, is — like the Wolf 

 of old — being gradually driven northward and westward into the wilder 

 parts of the country, where it is becoming gradually exterminated. — J. E. 

 Harting. 



Note on the Water Vole. — To what extent does the Water Vole 

 hybernate ? My attention has been drawn to this question by the following 

 facts : — In mild winters Voles are not at all uncommonly seen along our 

 streams all the season. In spells of sharp weather, when the ground is 

 covered with snow, their tracks and other marks of their presence are often 

 seen on the banks. Last spring and summer Water Voles were exceptionally 

 abundant along a stretch of the Swere in this and the next parish. In 

 spring they were wonderfully tame, and would sit on the opposite bank in 

 full view until almost touched with the point of a fishing-rod. In summer 

 evenings, as I walked up the stream, they plumped off the banks every 

 few yards. On the same water there are hardly any this summer. One 

 evening last week I walked along four meadows without seeing a single 

 Vole. The only solution seems to be that the late hard winter has killed 

 them nearly all. — 0. V. Aplin (Bloxham, Oxon). 



Irish Localities for Natterer's Bat. — In an editorial foot-note (p. 271), 

 it is suggested that my friend Mr. Hart and I have overlooked several 

 known Irish localities for this bat. But, as I still believe that only four 

 localities, and only one specimen from each, can as yet be reckoned in 

 Ireland, I hope a few words of explanation may not be out of place. 

 Mr. Mangan's locality of Enniskerry (Nat. Hist. Soc. Dublin, 1844) refers, 

 no doubt, to the same specimen which is recorded by Mr. M'Coy (A. N. H. 

 xv. p. 270) as having been obtained at "the Scalp," which lies close to 

 Enniskerry, and is just on the border where the counties of Wicklow and 

 Dublin meet. My friend Mr. Barrington gives this locality to Wicklow; 

 Thompson says " near Dublin," and Bell correctly gives it as "a rugged 

 pass between the counties of Dublin and Wicklow ;" all these refer to the 

 same original specimen, which may, accordingly, be credited to either 

 county. " Kildareaud Queen's County" refer to the bats taken by the late 

 Dr. J. R. Kitiahan at Tankardstown Bridge, which is on the borders of 

 these two counties. These bats were at first announced as V. Nattered, 



