( 231 ) 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



MAMMALIA. 



CHIROPTERA. 



Long-eared Bats and their Food.— Along the valley of the Dowles 

 Brook, in the Wyre Forest, this little Bat is numerous. Whilst watching 

 their movements I found they were working the sallow-trees along the 

 stream-sides, feeding upon the dissipated little Noctua that can always 

 be found intoxicating themselves upon the bloom in the early spring. 

 One or more Long-eared Bats could frequently be seen circling around 

 the tops of the bushes; and when a moth attracted their attention they 

 would steady themselves in their flight, and with quivering wings (which 

 sometimes gave one an impression of their perching), seize their prey, 

 frequently from off the bloom itself. After thoroughly working one bush 

 they made off to another for the same purpose, when doubtless within 

 a short space of time sufficient food for that night would readily be 

 taken. Whilst watching these little creatures I was surprised at their 

 inquisitiveness and utter fearlessness in my presence ; occasionally one 

 would leave the bush and circle around within a few inches of my face 

 and body, its presence often only being recognized by the vibration 

 of the air, which gave one a very uncanny feeling. — J. Steele Elliott 

 (Dixon's Green, Dudley). 



INSECTIVORA. 



Lesser Shrew in Cheshire.— On March 27th I was pleased to find the 

 skull of a Lesser Shrew, Sorex minutus, in an owl-pellet obtained in Dun- 

 ham Park. This is the second example recorded from Dunham Park, and 

 the fourth from the county. Fifty-four pellets, taken from the foot of two 

 trees, showed the following result on analysis ; — Eight Sparrows, one Blue 

 Tit, one Rat, fourteen House-mice, twenty-six Long-tailed Field Mice, one 

 Water Vole, sixty Field Voles, three Bank Voles, forty-nine Common 

 Shrews, three Water Shrews, and one Lesser Shrew. Although the Bank 

 Vole is common in Cheshire, it is very much rarer than the Field Vole on 

 the park-land.— T. A. Coward (Bowdon, Cheshire). 



