MAMMALS before. Another one was taken from behind the shutter of a cottage window in the village of Weston-on-Avon, which shutter was daily opened and shut. On the wing the barba- stelle is readily distinguished from every other British bat by its dark colour, broad wings, and by its slow, irregular and owl-like flight, which is sometimes quite close to the ob- server, perhaps only three or four feet from his face. But as it comes abroad quite late in the evening, it can only be observed for a very short time. No particular situation is chosen for its nocturnal flight, which may be among buildings or in the open fields ; but wherever it may be, when once seen it is speedily lost sight of. 4. Great or White's Bat (Noctule). Pipis- trellus noctula, Schreber. Bell — Scotophilus noctula. This, the largest bat inhabiting Worcester- shire, is pretty generally distributed, and may be recognized on the wing by its high, straight and rapid flight, which is fre- quently over some stream. It was the high and vigorous flight of this species which induced Gilbert White, in the His- tory of Selborne, to designate it Vespertilio altivolans, the high-flying bat. It retires to rest during the day, and to hibernate through the winter to holes in trees, but very rarely if ever to buildings. The hole made by the green woodpecker in an aged elm has been found to be literally filled by these bats. 5. The Hairy-armed Bat. Pipistrellus leisleri, Kuhl. Bell — Scotophilus leisleri. Not very inferior in size to the last species, the hairy-armed bat is rare in all parts of England, not many instances of its occur- rence having been recorded. One was shot while on the wing in the vicinity of the ancient manor house at Cleeve Prior early in the summer of 1853, when two were ob- served. Afterwards one was shot (by a party of rook-shooters ; probably therefore about the middle of May) the other took flight and did not return. Since that time others have been seen, but only very occasionally, whole summers passing without one being observed. It may be easily recognized by its exceedingly erratic and zig-zag flight, which may be high or low, in the open fields or in sheltered places. Instead of pursuing a pretty regular beat, as does the noctule, the present bat is here and there, and almost as soon as you see it, it is gone, and does not reappear. Of the diurnal re- treat of this species I can say nothing. 6. Pipistrelle. Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Sichreher. Bell — Scotophilus pipistrellus. This bat is common and distributed all over the county, and may be found repos- ing singly during the day in all sorts of places — holes in trees, crannies in old walls or buildings — and the author remembers once taking one out of a mortise-hole in a gate- post. It is equally general in its choice of feeding ground, being observable either singly or in pairs in some sheltered corner between buildings or amongst the stems of trees, al- most always low down, and taking the same short beats, backward and forward. When Shakespeare spoke of the cloistered flight of the bat, he probably referred to this bat as it describes that of the pipistrelle with great accuracy, and this bat is common in the Avon valley and round Stratford. 7. Natterer's Bat. Myotis nattereri, Kuhl. Bell — Vespertilio nattereri. This is of somewhat greater size than the little bat which is most commonly observed, and is lighter in colour than any other Wor- cestershire species, excepting the lesser horse- shoe bat before mentioned. In its place of retreat it is strictly gregarious, crowding together in masses of sometimes hundreds. Yet it is not of frequent occurrence, and of its habits during the hours of the night very little is known, but there is reason to believe that it feeds in companies. There was formerly quite a colony of Natterer's bats in the roof of Arrow Church near Alcester, between the ceiling and the tiles, which was visited on more than one occasion many years since by the late Sir W. H. Flower and the present writer. Some of the bats captured there on one occasion were taken home by the author and turned loose in a room, and the win- dow opened to allow them to depart. At first one or two passed through the win- dow, but would not leave without their companions, returning into the room again, and this was repeated until all became aware of the open window, when they de- parted in a body. They proved when taken in hand to be very gentle creatures, evincing no disposition to bite, and their gregarious or sociable nature was well shown by their re- fusal to escape except in company. 8. Daubenton's Bat. Myotis dauhentoni, Leisler. Bel 1 — Vespertilio daubentonii. This might almost be designated an aqua- tic bat, so much does it aflFect streams and [73
