NOTES AND QUERIES. 34^ 



before its systematic extermination. — Alfred Heneage Cocks (Great 

 Marlow, Bucks). 



Supposed Occurrence of the Barbastelle in Suffolk.— On August 1st 

 my brother and I met with a Bat which I have little doubt was a Barbastelle. 

 In a garden at Little Glemham is a large and very old cherry tree, whose 

 trunk has been split and shattered by the storms of many years. When 

 some of the larger arms have been torn or perhaps sawn off, large 

 excrescences of bark have gradually formed, under which are various holes 

 and crannies. Feeling in one of these I found and drew out a Bat which I 

 believe to have been of the above species. It unfortunately escaped before 

 a full examination could be made, or the various dimensions ascertained and 

 noted. On visiting its retreat the next day for the purpose of doing this, 

 and, if possible, making a drawing of the animal, we found it had changed 

 its quarters, and was not to be found. At the first sight of this Bat I was 

 sure it was of a species I had not before met with, and was struck with its 

 resemblance to Bell's figure of the Barbastelle. The most striking pecu- 

 liarities observable were its very dark colour (nearly black above), and the 

 singular aspect of the face, the nostrils being deeply sunk between two 

 swelling ridges or projections, situated one on each side of the face. The 

 animal looked larger than the Pipistrelle, and the ears seemed short, and of 

 peculiar form. — G. T. Eope (Blaxhall, Suffolk). 



The Noctule in Cornwall. — Having for some time suspected the 

 existence of one of the larger species of Bats in this locality, I directed my 

 keeper to search the holes in some of the oak trees in the park here. 

 Having placed a bag over the mouth of one of these one evening this week, 

 he succeeded in capturing twenty out of a colony of about fifty, which 

 turned out to be Noctules of all sizes, the adults measuring over 14 in. 

 across the wings. Having placed them in an empty champagne-case, 

 covered with a sheet of window-glass, we could observe their actions easily, 

 as they hopped about like toads on the floor, or clung to each other or to 

 the sides of the case, uttering their strange jabbering cries with scarcely 

 any intermission. The next morning they were all clustered in a ball in 

 one corner of the case, apparently asleep, and, when stirred up, indulged in 

 a free fight on the floor, biting and scratching each other, or the sticks 

 with which they were touched, with the utmost impartiality, squeaking 

 louder than ever, and emitting a strong musky smell when the glass was 

 removed. Having killed two of the largest for my collection, I let the rest 

 go under the shade of a large chestnut tree. — Francis R. Rodd (Trebartha 

 Hall, Launceston). 



C E T A C E A. 



Bottle-nosed Whales in the Thames. — Having heard of the capture 

 of a Whale near Creeksmouth, Barking, I went down there on Aug. 3rd 



