NOTES AND QUERIES. 305 



but afterwards were found to belong to V. Daubentonii, a mistake which 

 was corrected by Dr. Kinahan himself, as mentioned by Mr. Kelsall (Zool. 

 1889, p. 309). This leaves one at " the Scalp," one in County Cork (Zool. 

 1883, p. 294), one taken in County Longford and now in the British 

 Museum (Zool. 1889, p. 248). and now a fourth in Donegal ; and it is curious 

 that only a single example has been taken in of each these four localities. — 

 A. G. Moee (74, Leinster Eoad, Dublin). 



The Noctule and Serotine Bats in Kent. — Having read the admirable 

 paper on the Serotine Bat, Vesperugo serotinus, in ■ The Zoologist' (pp. 201 

 — 205), I am prompted to give you the result of my observations on this 

 and the Noctule Bat in Kent. As both these bats are abundant here, and 

 I have kept them under observation during the last four or five years, 

 I write with the greater confidence. True to their former habits, the 

 Noctules appeared from the gable of my house this year in their former 

 abundance and at their usual season. On May 1st, when I first observed 

 them, I counted fourteen emerge from their winter quarters at 8 p.m. ; but 

 the weather following this evening not being propitious, I did not observe 

 them again until June 4th, on which night I counted sixty-seven as they 

 issued from the gable of the house at 8.15 p.m. On June 12th, at 8 p.m., 120 

 emerged from the same place : since then they appeared in decreasing num- 

 bers. I cannot make out exactly what weather they prefer, for on that evening 

 it was clear and cold ; while on the 16th, it being cloudy and mild, thirty- 

 one bats came out at 7.50 p.m., and I waited in vain till 8.30 expecting 

 others to appear. A few days later I watched for them, and but one 

 appeared; however, they had not then all left the neighbourhood, for on 

 June 28th I saw four or five at 8.30 p.m., flying very high. In previous 

 years they deserted my house at about the same time of the year, and I am 

 convinced they migrate somewhere, for they are not seen in July or August, 

 except a few during the early part of July. I imagine the Noctules roost 

 in the tall trees, now well out in foliage, but the greater part of them 

 disappear from the neighbourhood. When frequenting the house they 

 return about 9 p.m., and when many are out they may be seen flying round 

 like a swarm of bees, waiting their opportunity to retire into the hole from 

 which they emerged. Another curious circumstance I may relate : although 

 I have watched them most closely as they appeared from the house, I never 

 could detect the least difference in their size, or see any that looked like 

 young ones. When and where they breed is to me a mystery. The 

 Noctules generally seem very fat, notwithstanding their having such short 

 feeding hours. While frequenting the house they are generally infested 

 with parasites, and our people are glad to see them depart. With regard to 

 the Serotine Bat, Vesperugo serotinus, although it is never so abundant 

 here as the Noctule, there are generally five or six to be seen during the 

 summer months in and about my garden. They come out sooner iu the 



