776 Quadrupeds. 



Notes on the Mammalia of the Isle of Wight. 

 By the Rev. C. A. Bury, B.A. 



Your readers will not find any thing extraordinary in the Natural 

 History of the Isle of Wight. Considering its limited area, and 

 insular position, its Fauna is, perhaps, as rich both in species and 

 individuals as was reasonably to be expected. Because it may not 

 be more prolific than other districts of equal extent, that is no suffi- 

 cient reason against my recording in your pages what I may have 

 succeeded in ascertaining of its animal productions. Local Faunas 

 possess an interest perfectly independent of the number of species 

 recorded. It is their nature, rather than their number, which imparts 

 a value to the knowledge of the productions of any given district in 

 the estimation of the scientific naturalist ; and in this view, did the 

 Isle of Wight afford not one half of what it does afford, my task 

 would have been equally useful, if useful at all, for the promotion of 

 natural science. I could wish, for my own information, for the bene- 

 fit of 'The Zoologist,' its readers generally, and its Editor in parti- 

 cular, in short, for all reasons, that more local Faunas were contri- 

 buted. Those that have appeared, are certainly not among the least 

 interesting of the contributions to its pages. I think they tend to 

 raise the character, as well as increase the interest of the work : and 

 may I venture, without presumption, to caution such, and all other 

 contributors, on the necessity of extreme accuracy in their state- 

 ments ; and to warn them against giving as fact, without personal 

 investigation, what may have been communicated to them by per- 

 fectly credible, but not scientific, or well practised observers. The 

 difference resulting from the exercise of great care and discrimination 

 on the one hand, and the want of them on the other, will be just this: 

 that c The Zoologist' will, or will not, as the case may be, hereafter be 

 looked upon and quoted as an authority ; natural science will, or will 

 not be really advanced ; and the labours of the Editor and contri- 

 butors will, or will not, have been in vain. I am, however, very un- 

 willing even to appear to dictate to my fellow-contributors, but I have 

 myself met with so many disappointments, after all but full conviction 

 of the correctness of what had been reported to me, that I could not 

 refrain from giving this caution ; and I will only plead, by way of 

 apology, my regard for the reputation of ' The Zoologist,' and that of 

 the " Gilbert White Society." 



My account of the Cheiroptera will be far from perfect. I have 



