of a Local Fauna. 423 



encouragement to proceed ; and as the progress of such an under- 

 taking may not be altogether unacceptable, it is proposed to give 

 from time to time a list of the species taken in the various depart- 

 ments, with such remarks and observations as may be of interest, or 

 calculated to throw any additional light upon the history of the va- 

 rious objects that come under review. 



The district proposed for investigation is situated in the northern 

 part of Northumberland, and contains an area of nearly 700 acres; its 

 distance from the nearest part of the coast is about three miles and 

 a-half ; its elevation above the sea from 250 to upwards of 300 feet, 

 The general character of the surface soil may be termed stiff and 

 tenacious, (though it varies in parts) resting upon limestone and 

 the other coal measures, the whole of the district forming a portion 

 of one of the small coal basins so prevalent in this portion of that 

 county. It is intersected by several dells or deans, producing a 

 natural growth of birch, hazel, alder, and other underwood, or else 

 planted, and each with a rill or burn running at the bottom, one of 

 considerable size, and dignified with the name of the Waren. More 

 than a third of the rest of this range is in wood and plantation. 



The list of Mammalia, as might be expected from the extent and 

 nature of the district, is limited, and composed of well-known spe- 

 cies, common to almost every part of the kingdom, and it therefore 

 offers but little subject for remark. It is as follows : — 



Vespertilio pipistrellus, Gmel. Sorex remifer, Geoff. 



Plecotus auritus, Geoff. Erinaceus Europaeus, Linn. 



Mustela putorius, Linn. Mus sylvaticus, Linn. 



vulgaris, Gmel. musculus, Linn. 



erminea, Linn. -decumanus, Pall. 



Lutra vulgaris, Desm. Arvicola amphibia, Desm. 



Canis vulpes, Linn. agrestis, Flem. 



Talpa Europasa, Linn. Lepus timidus, Linn. 



Sorex araneus, Linn. cuniculus, Linn. 



fodiens, Gmel. 



In regard to the bats, it is probable there are more species than 

 the two already detected, but the habits of the family render it 

 a difficult matter to obtain specimens for examination. 



The ermine or stoat is numerous, more so than the weasel. In 

 severe winters they all assume the arctic dress ; in milder seasons, 

 it has been observed that this change does not take place so fre- 

 quently, or to such an extent in the males as in the other sex. The 

 change of colour takes place in the existing fur, and is not produ- 

 ced by the acquisition of an entire new supply or coat of hair. It is 

 well known that they possess a high developement of the olfactory 



