Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/505

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Death of a Whiskered Bat by Misadventure.—In spite of the adroitness with which Bats avoid obstacles encountered in their rapid flight, and the precision with which they thread their way among the branches and foliage of trees, they are not exempt from occasional accidents. At the end of last April, when walking along the margin of the mere at Siddington, I saw a Whiskered Bat (Myotis mystacinus), as I thought, asleep and hanging by its feet to a brier overhanging the water. A closer examination showed that the wings were half open, and not folded closely to its sides as in sleep, and that the Bat was not supported by its feet, but by a thorn which had pierced the interfemoral membrane on the right side close to the extremity of the tail. In its struggles to free itself, the Bat had lapped its tail tirmly round the twig from which the thorn projected, and was thus held a fast prisoner. When found it was alive but moribund, and a large portion of the wing-membrane was already dry and shrivelled. It made a feeble but unsuccessful attempt to drink some milk which I offered it, but died within two hours of its release.— (Alderley Edge).

Is the Whinchat a Mimic?—In confirmation of Mr. Robert Godfrey's affirmative answer to this question respecting Pratincola rubetra in 'The Zoologist' (ante, p. 267), I venture to quote the following from St. John's 'Natural History and Sport in Moray' (p. 147):—"May 28th (1850). The loch (Spynie) is full of Sedge Warblers now. I heard a most extraordinary singing in some alders to-day; at one time it was like a person whistling, at another like a very sweet and full-toned Blackbird, but always ending in a song like a Sedge Warbler. After watching it for some time, we shot the bird, which turned out to be a Whinchat. I cannot understand its note, quite unlike any bird that I ever heard."— (Indian Museum, Calcutta).

Icterine Warbler and Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Norfolk.—It may interest readers to know that on September 5th I secured an Icterine Warbler (Hypolais icterina) in some scrub between Wells and Cromer.