A history of British quadrupeds, including the Cetacea / by Thomas Bell.

Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A history of British quadrupeds, including the Cetacea / by Thomas Bell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    ample accommodation in old buildings might have been found, and indeed was made use of by other species, but not a single Noctule took advantage of it, from which we may reasonably suppose, that although buildings may be occasionally made use of as a resting-place during the day, that this is only the case in the absence of trees which will aiford sufficient accommodation. The Noctule is gregarious in its habits, associating in considerable numbers, and seeking its retreat sometimes in the hollows of trees, at others under the roofs and eaves of houses. Pennant states that he was informed by the Rev. Dr. Buckhouse, that he saw taken from under the eaves of Queen's College, Cambridge, one hundred, and eighty-five in one night: but as there is no reason to believe that these were all submitted to the rigid examination necessary to detect the specific distinc- tions of these animals, it is probable that other species were mingled with them in this great congregation. It is, however, particularly stated, that of all those which were measured, the extent of the wings was fifteen inches ; and repeated observation has led us to believe that two gregarious species are rarely, if ever, found together. In the second night, sixty-three were taken. The flight of this Bat is remarkably high and rapid, and its cry when on the wing is sharp and harsh. It was observed by White to emit a very ofiensive odour. It remains in activity for a shorter time than any other, coming abroad later and retiring earlier: White says that he never saw it till the end of April, nor later than July, but its appearance in the spring and disappearance in the autumn depend entirely on the mildness of the season. The earliest note we have of its appearance is the 12th of March, and the 18th of September is the latest date we have on record of its appearance. In
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