A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE in many other counties in England. While mentioning these two animals I should like to refer to a very interesting paper on Hertfordshire Deer Parks which was read before the Hertfordshire Natural History Society by Mr. Harting in 1881. He stated that at one time there were some forty-four deer parks in this county, but that at the present day there were only ten which had not been disparked. In one of these only Ashridge Park near Great Berkhamsted is the red deer now kept, though probably it was to be found in several others in days gone by. In all the other parks which now exist there are only fallow deer. CHEIROPTERA i. Lesser Horseshoe Bat. Rhinolopkus hippo- 3 siderus, Bechstein. The Rev. H. A. Macpherson in the Zoologist for 1887, p. 152, states that a fresh example of this species, which had been obtained in Hertfordshire, was sent in the summer of 1886 to Spalding of Notting Hill. Pipistrellus noctu/a, Great or White's Bat. Schreber. Bell Scotophilui noctula. White Vespertilio altivolans. This bat is found in all parts of Hertford- shire. 2. Long-eared Bat. Plecotus auritus, Linn. The long-eared bat is generally distributed throughout the county. 4. Pipistrelle. Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Schreber. Bell Scotopbilus plpistrellus. This is an abundant species everywhere in the county. INSECTIVORA 5. Hedgehog. Erinaceus europteus, Linn. This animal is common in Hertfordshire, though many are destroyed in various ways. A female hedgehog in my possession in July of this year (1900) devoured one of the young ones which I found with it. 6. Mole. Talpa europeea^ Linn. The mole is very abundant with us, though apparently it is more plentiful during some years than others. In the winter of 187980 it seems to have been unusually numerous throughout the county. This species is sub- ject rather often to variations in colour, for in the Trans, of the Herts Nat. Hist. Soc. for 1883 the late Dr. Brett recorded the finding of thirty moles of a white or cream colour in about half an acre of a field of oats. Some albino moles also, caught in a hedgerow at Ley Farm on the St. Albans Road, Watford, were exhibited by Mr. T. Vaughan Roberts at a meeting of the society in December, 1891. 7. Common Shrew. Sorex araneus. Linn. This animal is found throughout the county, but of its congener (S. pygmeeuf) I can find no record. In August or September, 1893, Mr. Henry Lewis of St. Albans obtained from a clover-field near that place two specimens of the common shrew which were albinos ; this is a most unusual occurrence, as albinism is seldom found in this species. 8. Water-Shrew. Neomys fodiens, Pallas. Bell Crossopus fodlens. This species is to be found in many parts of Hertfordshire where the locality is suitable. There are, I believe, several specimens in the national collection which are labelled as hav- ing been obtained at Tring. CARNIVORA 9. Fox. Vulpes vulpes, Linn. Bell Vulpes vulgaris. So long as foxhunting lasts in this country will the fox remain with us, but when the evil day comes that the noble sport is given up in England then will this species soon become extinct. In many districts in Hertfordshire the fox is by no means so plentiful as can be desired. This is chiefly due to the fact that so much of the county is given up to shooting rather than hunting. It is however most strictly preserved by many owners in the county. 10. Pine Marten. Mustela martts, Linn. Bell Maries abletum. The pine marten has unfortunately been so long extinct in Hertfordshire that I am 2l8
