NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
33 
hybernate are capable of resisting long spells of cold. The moment a thaw sets 
in, even after the severest frost, gnats are to be seen playing about in quiet spots, 
as if nothing unusual had happened. Mild weather also entices many insects 
out in a semi-torpid state, when they become an easy prey while birds are not cut 
off from their supply of insect food by the hardness of the ground. Very few 
insects breed during the winter, and every one killed during that time is a family 
stopped next spring. I am inclined, therefore, to think that a mild winter takes 
greater toll of insect pests than a severe one, but seek enlightenment in the 
matter. 
Market IVes/on, Thetford, Edmund Thos. Dauiseny. 
Decefuber i8, 1900. 
Bat (p. 17). — In seasons of exceptional mildness it is not a very unusual thing 
to see bats hawking for food in December. In the year 1875, according to my 
diary, I noticed a bat flying about, apparently in search of food, on Christmas 
Day. Five years later I find a note to the effect that a large bat (probably the 
noctule, or great bat of White’s inimitable classic), had been observed by me 
flying at large on December 3. Mr. White says of this species that it “ retires or 
migrates very early in the summer,” but such is not the case here. September 
appears to be one of its favourite months in this neighbourhood. 
Fyjield, near Abingdon. W. H. Warner. 
On January 2, 1900, at Henley-on-Thames, I saw two common bats flying to 
and fro along a distance of about one hundred yards, and now and then making 
darts at some prey. It was at about 3.30 p.m., the weather was very mild and 
damp, and the ground was soaking from recent rain. Considerable numbers of 
small dipterous insects were about. 
19, Sussex Place, Regent's Park. II. ScOTT. 
Ja^iuary 2, 1901. 
Moles. — What I have to say about moles disappearing rapidly underground 
will not be so interesting as what ‘‘ C. E. C.” has told us at page 16 this month, 
but it is as follows : — I have rarely seen them above ground and one generally 
observes them at work by the heaving of the fresh earth as they throw it up in 
mole hills. The first time that I remember seeing a mole in the open was about 
twenty years ago. I was walking in the afternoon in a garden in Devonshire and 
one of these remarkable animals came through the railing from the field and 
went slowly across the gravel path. I do not know if he saw or heard me and my 
friend who was w'alking with me, but he may have been aware of our presence 
from the vibration of the ground. Anyhow on arriving at the other side of the 
path he thrust in his snout at the edge of the turf, and, to my astonishment, was 
out of sight almost in a moment. lie certainly did not take five seconds to make 
his dive underground, and what was also surprising, he left almost no mark to 
show where he had gone. I could hardly believe my own senses ; but as I stood 
still at a distance of only five yards to see what the mole would do there could be 
no mistake. My friend had turned back to call up his terrier, who was fortunately 
engaged with other sport. The lawn was not often rolled and the earth under it 
was deep and soft after rain. The mole doubtless made use of a worm burrow 
when making his exit from the daylight, and it is quite likely that he took no 
notice of me whatever, but simply continued the pursuit of his prey in regular 
fashion. I hope we may hear more about moles, for their habits have been 
insufficiently studied. 
Montreiix. Gii.ES A. Dauiseny. 
January 6, 1901. 
Cat and Mole (p. 16). — The incident described by your correspondent, 
C. E. C., is by no means rare. I have seen several instances myself. The 
celerity with which the mole burrows out of sight is little short of marvellous. 
But then as a sapper and miner he has no equal. A j'oung man of my acquaint- 
ance last spring found a mole in one of his traps caught by the hind-quarters. 
He pulled up the trap, and went for a stick to kill his prisoner ; when he 
returned the mole had almost sunk out of sight, though burdened with the trap, 
— a case of mining under difficulties. 
Fyfield, near Abingdon. 
W. II. Warner. 
