Page:VCH Rutland 1.djvu/116

 A HISTORY OF RUTLAND 30 May, 1897, I obsen'cd an old one carry- ing a young one in her mouth through the water. This species is sometimes found seated upon a bough several feet above the water. 26 Muscard'tnus avellanarius Dormouse. Linn. Bell — Myoxus avellanarius. Rare. I have only heard of one specimen being obtained in late years. This was caught in 1891 in Ayston Spinney. 27. Squirrel. Sciurus kucourus, Kerr. Bell — Sciurus vulgaris. Very numerous, as many as six being some- times seen at once in Wardley Wood. The buck is fond of nipping off the early shoots of chestnut. It is not perhaps generally known that squirrels will eat birds' eggs. Mr. Montagu Browne mentions a specimen shot at Rushpit Wood near Oakham about 1878, which had a broad band of white across the middle of its back, its tail also being pure white two-thirds from the tip. UNGULATA 28. Red Deer. Cervus elaphus, Linn. Introduced into Exton Park c. 1887 the Earl of Gainsborough. Fallow Deer. Cervus dama, Linn, 29. by These have been in Exton Park since the time of Charles I. About the beginning of the nineteenth century there used to be some in the wood near Beaumont Chace, which joined Stoke and Wardley Woods into one large wood (i.e. Leighfield Forest). ADDENDA 4. Polecat. Putorius putorius, Linn. One was killed at Market Overton about 1900. 9. Mole. Talpa europaea, Linn. A pied example was found at Normanton in 1903. II. Pigmy Shrew. Sorex minutus, Linn. Skulls have also been found at Normanton. 14. Barbastelle. Barbastella barbastelluSy^chr. A specimen was found in Exton Church in August 1 90 1. 17. Great Bat or Noctule. Pipistrellus noc- tula, Schr. Has also been noticed at Normanton. 17 A. Whiskered Bat. Myoth mystacinus, Leisler. Bell — Fespertilio mystacinus. A specimen was killed with a fishing-rod at Normanton on 29 June 1905 (E. H. V. Hodge). 23 . Long-tailed Field Mouse. Mus sylva- tlcm, Linn. Has also occurred at Normanton. 24A. Bank Vole. Evotomys glareotus, Schr. Bell — Arvicola glareolus. Mr. E. H. V. Hodge tells me that he has found a number of skulls of this rodent in white owls' castings at Normanton. 80