The Bats 77
Distribution.— Leisler’s Bat ranges from the Azores and Madeira in the West
to the Himalayas in the E a s t; it is found throughout Europe and part of Asia,
and perhaps occurs in northern Africa. Its distribution in our Islands is still
little understood; it appears to be very local, and in England is nowhere common.
Mr. Tomes1 states that it occurs in the counties of Warwick, Worcester, and
Gloucester. Mr. H. Charbonnier2 obtained a number in Yorkshire, and though
the identity of the species was questioned there is no doubt that he was correct,
for Dr. Alcock confirmed the identification and a specimen is preserved in the
British Museum. A single example was obtained in Cheshire,8 and Mr. Coward,
who shot the Bat, saw another Bat with a similar flight at the same time; this
specimen is now in the Chester Museum, and the identification was confirmed by
Dr. Alcock and Mr. De Winton. In Norfolk4 the Bat is said to have occurred,
fourteen examples being obtained; but the Rev. L. Jenyns, who. examined them,
stated that a mistake had been made.5 It is now, lacking further information,
hardly safe to pass an opinion on the correctness or incorrectness of the identification,
but it is worth mentioning that Mr. Jenyns was uncertain whether the Bats
were young Noctules or ‘ a distinct species.’ Sir Harry Johnston6 says : ‘ Hitherto
it has been recorded from the western midlands of England, the Lake District,
and the north-east and east of Ireland.’ He gives no indication of where or
when this Bat occurred in the Lake District; it is not mentioned by the late
H. A. Macpherson— and we can only imagine that it is a case of careless copying
from Lydekker’s remark that ‘ according to Mr. Montagu Browne, it is unknown
as far north as Leicestershire, as also in the Lake District.’
In Ireland, the home of this species in the British Islands, it takes the place
of the Noctule; it occurs, so far as is at present known, in the north-east and
eastern counties, from Derry to Wicklow.’ Prof. Kinahan first recorded the
occurrence of Leisler’s Bat,7 from Belvoir Park, Antrim, and from Belfast, where
it was discovered in 1858.8 Mr. H. Lyster Jameson9 supplies a full, list of
occurrences and localities in Antrim, Down, Armagh, Fermanagh, Cavan, Louth,
Dublin, Wicklow, and Kildare. He heard of a large Bat, which he expects was a
Leisler’s, from Galway, but a specimen which was sent to him never reached him,
so that until further information is forthcoming the western county has to be
1 Bell, B rit. Quad. 2nd edit p. 27. 2 Zoologist, 1892, p. 329. 8 Coward, ibid. 1899, p. 266.
4 Paine, Ann. Nat. H ist. 1839, ii. 181. 8 Harting, Zoologist, 1887, p. 169. 6 B rit. Mam. 1903, p. 90.
7 Proc. Belfast Nat. H ist, and P hil. Soc. April i860. 8 Proc. Dublin Nat. H ist. Soc. ii. 154.
9 Irish Naturalist, 1897, pp. 41, 42.