474 REPTILIA, liATRAClIlA, AND .AIAMMALIA. 



islands. One specimen of a black variety was taken in Jersey in 1907, 



tlie first record, I believe, of nielanisni in this species. This specimen 



is now in tlie museum of the Socicte Jcmiaisc. 

 Serotine Bat. l insert this species in the list of our mammalia on tlie 



evidence of one specimen which is now in the collection of Dr. A. C 



Cxodfray, of Jersey. It was taken at Georgetown, Jersey, in 1895, 

 Long'-eared Bat. Very common in Jersey and Guernsey, and jierhaps \\\ 



all the islands. In Jersey it seems to be even more abundant than the 



Pipistrelle. 



Great Horse-Shoe Bat. Occurs in Guernsey where it appears to be not 

 uncommon. Many specimens were found some years ago in the cellar of 

 an old house in St. Peter's -Port, and specimens of these are now in 

 the Guille-AUes Museum. It is possible that this species occurs in 

 Jersey also for I have frequently seen a bat of the same size Hying about 

 a quarry in St. Peter's Valley, but have not so far been able to obtain a 

 specimen. 



Brown Rat. (Local name as French, Rat.) This undesirable alien, 

 wrongly termed the " Korwa}" Kat," for it is really a native of Asia, was 

 introduced into these i)arts in the 17th century-. Abundant in all the 

 islands except Sark, where the Black Rat still holds sway. Mr. Derrick 

 has kindly made enquiries for me from watermen, farmers, and others 

 living in Sark, but cannot find any reliable evidence that it occurs there 

 at all, in fact he says the people are unanimous that there are no Brown 

 Rats in Sark. 



Black Rat. This species, wrongly termed the "Old English Rat," is, like 

 the last of Asiatic origin, whence it spread through EurojDe, ha\ing been 

 introduced by shipping into Great Britain about the 14th or 15th century, 

 and no doubt into these islands also about the same time. 



Except in Sark, where it is plentiful, it is very sparingly distributed 

 in the Channel Islands, having been brought to the verge of extermina- 

 tion by the species last named. I can find no evidence of its recent 

 occurrence in Guernsey, so that it is probably extinct now. In Alderney 

 however it still occurs in considerable numbers, and in some parts 

 appears to be as plentiful as the Brown Rat. 



Although termed the "black rat" it is subject to considerable 

 variation in colour. I have had, and kept alive, specimens that were of 

 a rich glossy black, some verging even on a blue-black shade, like the 

 sheen on certain kinds of velvet ; others are of a grey tint, having silvery 

 hairs interspersed among the black, while others again are scarcely 

 distinguishable in point of colour from the Common Rat. 



A variety, or more likely a race of the Black Rat of a beautiful 

 greyish brown, has been described as a separate species and termed 

 the " Alexandrian Rat." But as I have just said it is only a variety or 

 race which occurs mostly in Southern Europe. This form has been taken 

 in Jersey and one specimen, together with the typical species, is in the 

 museum of the Societe Jersiaise. Before me at this moment are two 

 stuffed specimens of the Black Rat from Herm, two from Jersey, and one 

 from Sark ; all are adults, but the Herm ones show a variation, being 

 larger and more robust than the Sark or Jersey ones ; their hair is also of 

 stronger texture and longer, e.g., that on the back in the Herm specimens 

 is 35 mm. in length, as against 22 mm. in the Sark and Jersey ones. 

 There are Sark and Herm specimens in the Guille-Alles Museum. 



Common Mouse. (Local name as French, Souris.) Abundant in all the 

 islands. Whether, like the rats, this species has been introduced, or 

 whether it is truly indigenous, it is not ^jossible now to decide. There is 

 a second specieo found here, or at least in Jersey, for I have frequently 

 heard of the capture of specimens that differed considerably from 

 the common species. Mr. Dancaster, of St. Ouen's, Jersey, tells me that 

 he has several times taken specimens that were of a steel-grey colour, and 



