( 153 ) 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



MAMMALIA. 

 Observations on the Noctule (Pipistrellus noctula). — In the interest- 

 ing observations of my friend Mr. C. Oldham upon this species {ante, p. 51), 

 he says that " it may be that the period of activity is not limited to a short 

 vespertinal flight of from one to two hours, and the Bats leave their den 

 again before daylight ; but I do not think so," giving such conclusions from 

 the actions of a Noctule when in captivity. Personally it had not occurred 

 to me but that a matinal as well as a vespertinal flight was at least not 

 uncommon, but, owing to the early hours in summer when such observa- 

 tions have to be made, it requires more than an ordinary enthusiast for the 

 purpose ; hence it is probable that two instances only recur to my memory. 

 Of these two specimens were observed some years ago flying through 

 the glades of one of the woods in Warwickshire during the early hours of 

 the morning ; and in the other instance I can refer to a note taken at the 

 time— " Tempsford, Bedfordshire, 25th May, 1893, about 4 a.m., several 

 Noctules observed on the wing." These, I well remember, were taking one 

 direct line of flight, evidently returning to their sleeping quarters. — J. 

 Steele-Elliott (Clent, Worcestershire). 



Bank- Vole in Sussex. — I send you a small animal which was killed in 

 my garden to-day (March 16th). It appears to me to be a Bank- Vole 

 {Microtus glareolus) ; if such is the case, perhaps the record thereof in 

 ' The Zoologist ' may be of interest, as I do not see many occurrences noted 

 in Sussex. — H. Marmaduke Langdale (The Vicarage, Compton, Peters- 

 field). 



[The specimen has been duly received, and is undoubtedly Microtus 

 glareolus. — Ed.] 



Black Rat in Great Yarmouth. — During the past winter the Black 

 Rat (Mus rattus) has made itself exceedingly obnoxious to several provision 

 dealers in the town. Many have been killed by traps, dogs, and cats, 

 but the survivors profit by the lesson, and occasionally shift their quarters, 

 or refuse to be captured. After receiving several last February, with two 

 or three of the subspecies Mus alexandrinus, the supply suddenly ceased 

 at a certain grocer's stores, and the Brown Rat {M. decuntanus) made 

 its appearance. The Black Rats had apparently fled, and were swarming in 



Zool. Mh %er. vol. V., April, 1901. N 



