MAMMALS 



8. Whiskered Bat. Myoth mystacinus, Leis- 

 ler. 



Bell — VespertUio mystacinus. 

 Some specimens were obtained by Montagu 

 from south Devon — probably from Kings- 



bridge where he was then living — or the 

 neighbourhood, and sent by him to the British 

 Museum. There is no further record ; but 

 it has probably been overlooked, as it is by no 

 means rare in other parts of England. 



INSECTIVORA 



9. Hedgehog. Erlnaceus europeeus, Linn. 



A common animal in all parts of the county 

 and including the borders of Dartmoor, but 

 not on the moor itself for obvious reasons. 

 Often found under accumulated heaps of 

 leaves in the winter. I witnessed a pretty 

 sight one early autumn some years ago, an 

 old hedgehog shortly before dusk leading out 

 her brood of six young ones. 



10. Mole. Talpa europaa^ Linn. 

 Common in all parts of the county except 



on the higher moors. 



11. Common Shrew. Sorex araneus, Linn. 

 Generally common. 



12. Pigmy Shrew. Sorex mtnutus, Pallas. 



Bell — Sorex pygtmeus. 



First recorded by the Rev. R. Douglas in 

 1877 as occurring at Manadon. Mr. W. B. 

 Stark has noticed the species close to the 

 moor. I have found examples at Plympton, 

 and I have no doubt this little quadruped is 

 more common than is supposed. 



13. Water Shrew. Neomys fodiens, Pallas. 



Bell — Crossopus fod'iens. 

 Certainly not so frequently met with as 

 the common shrew, but by no means scarce. 

 Mr. W. B. Stark has found both species near 

 the moor over 800 feet above the sea level. 



CARNIVORA 



14. Wild Cat. Felts catus, Linn. 

 Formerly a common inhabitant of the 



wroods — more numerous and more extended 

 than now — the wild cat has long ceased 

 to exist in the west of England. It is men- 

 tioned in the charter, now in the Cathedral 

 Library, Exeter, of King John, then Earl of 

 Mortain, circa 1194, to the free tenants of 

 the forest of Dartmoor. It was extinct in 

 Devon when Polwhele wrote. 



15. Fox. Vulpes vulpes, Linn. 



Bell — Vulpes vulgaris. 

 Extermination in a very brief period would 

 be the fate of the fox were it not for fox- 

 hunting. The packs of hounds and other 

 matters relating to this animal will be found 

 fully dealt with in the chapter on sport. 



1 6. Pine Marten. Mustek martes, Linn. 



Bell — Martes abietum. 

 When the woods within the limits of the 

 county were quiet and little visited, and be- 

 fore the plough and the habitations of man 

 had invaded localities, martens were often met 

 with. Specimens of this species and of the 

 Beech Marten {M. foina) are in the museum 

 of the Plymouth Institution at the Athenaeum. 

 The latter is said to exist in North Devon, 

 but we have no particulars. 



17. Polecat. Putorius putorius, Linn. 



Bell — M us tela putorius. 



Like the marten this animal was formerly 

 found in woods and other suitable habitats. 

 Independently of its not being able to secure 

 the seclusion it likes the polecat is too mis- 

 chievous an animal to be allowed to have its 

 own way in the world. The farmer and the 

 sportsman both waged war against it, for it 

 not only robbed the hen-roost and made free 

 with the poultry, but partridges, hares and rab- 

 bits fell before it. The last instance of its 

 having been met was in 1887, when Mr. J. 

 D. Prickman and Mr. Williams of Rewe 

 killed one in the Taw Valley. 



18. Stoat. Putorius ermineus, Linn. 



Bell — Mustela ermineo. 



Common, more especially in the neighbour- 

 hood of rabbit warrens. They were very 

 abundant in the winter of 1879. One I 

 saw was quite white, in the ermine state, 

 another very white but with some brown 

 marks still remaining about the head. I have 

 seen some with light-coloured fur. 



19. Weasel. Putorius nivalis^ Linn. 



Bell — Mustela vulgaris. 

 Common in all parts of the county. 



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