Page:VCH Berkshire 1.djvu/214

 A HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE imported 100 red deer from Houghton Park. But ill fate befell them. In 1731 there were 1,300 deer; in 1806 only 318. Many had been starved to death, many killed by poachers, and in 1814 the remainder were driven into the park where they have been preserved ever since. An account of the other deer parks in the county will be given in the notes. Of stoats and weasels and such * small deer ' Berkshire has plenty, though the latter are diminishing rapidly in numbers. Rabbits in spite of the Ground Game Act abound, and in many pans hares are still plentiful. Some interesting animals are preserved in Windsor Park, notably moufflons, which are very shy and strongly resent intrusion into their privacy. There are also some German white deer. CHEIROPTERA 1. Greater Horse-shoe Bat. Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum, Schreber. Probably not uncommon in Berkshire, as it is often found lower down the Thames valley, and frequents Regent's Park in London. It has been seen on the Berkshire side of the Thames at Oxford flying over the reservoir. 2. Long-eared Bat. Plecotus auritus, Linn. The most remarkable of the English species in having ears nearly as long as its head and body. Common in most parts of the county. They are not unfrequently seen in churches, disturbed by the service. Their long ears are unmistakable. These bats frequent the cave at Park Place owned by Mr. Heatley Noble. 3. Barbastelle. Barbastella barbastellus, Schreber. Bell Barbastellas daubentonii. This bat is found below the Berkshire boun- dary in the Thames valley, and is not uncom- mon in Richmond Park. Consequently it is probable that it is also found higher up the river. Bechstein's Bat. ler. Myotis bechsteini, Leis- Bell Fespertilio bechsteinii. A specimen of this rare bat was taken in the cave mentioned before, on Mr. Heatley Noble's property, by Mr. J. G. Millais. 5. Natterer's Bat. Myotis natter eri, Kuhl. Bell Vespertilio nattereri. This bat is also found in the cave, above mentioned. The colony is a very large one. 6. Daubenton's Bat. Myotis daubentoni, Leisler. Bell Vespertilio daubentonii. Common all along the Thames. They are found at Park Place which appears to be a centre for several other species. 7. Whiskered Bat. Myotis mystacinus, Leis- ler. Bell Vespertilio mystacinus. This is also on record as a Berkshire species, having been seen at Welford in 1852. INSECTIVORA 8. Hedgehog. Erinaceus europ&us, Linn. As partridge preserving is very little at- tended to in the Vale of the White Horse, and large hedgerows abound, hedgehogs are very numerous there. Elsewhere in the county fields, gardens, orchards and woods are equally agreeable to them, and abundance of insect food is at their disposal. They are frequently found killed by foxes, the skin being turned neatly inside out. The beautiful lawns, which are a feature of Berkshire gardens, are favourite nightly hunting grounds of the hedgehogs, which are often found rolled up tight in a tennis net. much less common. On the downs they are 9. Mole. 7alpa europtsa, Linn. There are perhaps more moles in Berkshire than in any county. There must be hun- dreds of thousands on the downs, where they work easily in the friable surface soil. In the vale they are also very plentiful. At Lock- inge Rectory, in the diaries of John Aldworth, who was rector in the eighteenth century, entries occur of payments for ' wanting Ard- ington Mead,' want being a local name for 1 68