I92I. 



Notes. 



in 



but I think zigzag is nearest to the mark for all three. My impression 

 clearly was that the bats hoped to find clearer air and more insects on 

 the wing by mounting above the wet mist. It should be remembered 

 that owing to its early and short period of flight the Hairy-armed Bat 

 must live largely on day-flying insects that have not yet retired to rest 

 when it comes out. 



The sudden invisibility assumed by Mr. Stelfox's bat I am unable to 

 explain, but I think the cause must have been meteoric rather than 

 zoological. My own carried itself out of view by a quite gradual ascent, 

 and took, when timed, 90 seconds to perform the task. 



C. B. Moffat. 



Dublin. 



The Breeding: of Squirrels. 



According to some of our best known naturalists, the Squirrel, in 

 England, brings forth its young about June, naked and blind, three 

 or four at a birth. And it is also stated that the female is smaller 

 than the male. 



A very great number of Squirrels has passed through my hands for 

 preservation. I have often found, upon examination, that they were in 

 breeding condition in December, while females received later in the winter 

 were pregnant. I am sorry I did not keep a record of the dates ; but 

 one female received on the nth January, 1912, contained three well 

 developed young. It appeared to me that these would soon have been 

 born, unless, indeed, the Squirrel's gestation is delayed like that of the 

 Roebuck and the Badger. I have also found that the adult female is 

 as large as the male, in fact the finest and largest specimen I have ever 

 received was a female It weighed 11^ ozs. and its total length was 

 lyf inches, which is almost 2 inches longer than the measurement given 

 by naturalists for the male. The above is just my experience and I hope 

 it may be of some interest. 



Alf. Sheals. 



130 Cliftonpark Avenue, Belfast. 



From notes that have already appeared in the Irish Naturalist (vols, 

 i., p. 127, X., p. 148, and xi, p. 188) it can be seen to be well established 

 that young Squirrels are often born in April and sometimes in March, 

 or even sooner ; while there is reason for believing that the young families 

 produced about midsummer or later are second broods. The late Major 

 Barrett-Hamilton had collected a vast amount of information on this 

 subject, which^ but for his untimely death, would ere now have been 

 given to the public in his still uncompleted " History of British Mammals " ; 

 but his general conclusions were quite in accord with those suggested 

 by Mr. Sheals. 



C. B. Moffat. 



