Chapter I: Mammals and Reptiles

BY E. DE HAMEL.

I.--MAMMALS.

The district around Birmingham is admirably suited for our native animals, abounding as it does with fertile and well-watered valleys, wild moorlands, and extensive woods; on the other hand, its large population renders the prolonged existence of individual and striking rarities well-nigh impossible.

The value of the matter contained in this chapter has been much enhanced by the personal observations of many of the best Midland naturalists.

CHEIROPTERA.

Adopting the late Professor Bell’s classification of British quadrupeds and reptiles, the Bats come first under consideration; and out of the fourteen species described by him, no fewer than nine are to be found in this district. The Noctule or Great Bat, _Scotophilus noctula_, is the largest of our British species, and is characterised by its lofty flight. There is a colony of these Bats in the roof of Cliff Hall, near Kingsbury, and another in a hollow of a lime tree in the Moat House Avenue, Tamworth. The Hairy-armed Bat, _S. Leisleri_, which has a zig-zag flight, occurs on the Warwickshire Avon. The Common Bat, or Flittermouse, _S. pipistrellus_, is often seen flying near buildings in broad daylight, and secretes itself in crevices. The Reddish-grey Bat, _Vespertilio nattereri_, is found in roofs of churches and similar buildings. Daubenton’s Bat, _V. Daubentonii_, flies close to the surface of water, and has been seen flying both at mid-day and dusk over the River Anker at Tamworth, and is abundant at Stratford-on-Avon; it hides in trees and buildings. The Whiskered Bat, _V. mystacinus_, frequents the sheltered side of high hedges, and secretes itself in any convenient chink. The Long-eared Bat, _Plecotus auritus_, possesses ears nearly as long as its head and body combined, and is generally distributed; it collects in clusters under tiled roofs and in church towers. The Barbastelle Bat, _Barbastellus Daubentonii_, is not uncommon in Warwickshire; it flutters lazily round moving objects, and hides in crevices. The last local species is the Lesser Horse-shoe Bat, _Rhinolophus hipposideros_, which is gregarious, and haunts roofs of houses; it is easily distinguished by its curious nasal appendage.

INSECTIVORA.

The Hedgehog, _Erinaceus Europæus_, common everywhere, hibernates in a nest of leaves. The Mole, _Talpa Europæa_; abundant, pied and light coloured varieties plentiful. The Common Shrew, _Sorex vulgaris_, often, found dead on pathways. The Water Shrew, _S. fodiens_, is more rare, but has been found near Tamworth, at Great Barr, and in the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The Lesser Shrew, _S. pygmæus_, is omitted, as it is now generally considered to be but a variety of _S. fodiens_.

CARNIVORA.

The Badger or Brock, _Meles taxus_, whilst rare, is very equally distributed over the district. On April 14th, 1877, one was obtained in the Foxhole Hill, in Bentley Big wood, near Atherstone; a female and three young ones were taken alive in the spring of 1884, in a wood, near Croxall; there are some more badgers in the same wood this year, 1886. In March, 1885, a single one was captured at Bentley, near Redditch; the keeper at Beaudesert reports that they are still plentiful on Cannock Chase. The Otter, _Lutra vulgaris_, like the Badger, though rare, still frequently occurs in the Midlands, especially on the rivers Anker, Tame, and Trent, and their tributaries; as well as the Warwickshire Avon. On the Tame, a few years since, a female Otter and brood of young ones was seen several times swimming near an osier bed in the Cliff meadows; another was shot when crossing the river at the back of Broad Island, near Tamworth; two young ones were killed in a hay field, close by Hopwas Wood; and a large Otter was found in a brook at Wigginton, a mile from the river, and destroyed after a desperate encounter; still another was seen trotting along the banks of the Tame, close by the town of Tamworth; while the largest Otter known to have been taken in the river Avon was captured on the first of June, 1886, at its junction with the river Arrow; it weighed 28lbs. The Weasel, _Mustela vulgaris_, and the Stoat, _M. erminea_, are both plentiful. The Polecat or Fitchet, _M. putorius_, is becoming decidedly rare, only three having been recorded in the district during the last few years; the first of these occurred at Alvecote Wood, the second at Hints, in the neighbourhood of Tamworth, and the third at Merivale, near Atherstone. The Pine Marten, _Martes abietum_, although believed now to be absolutely extinct in the Midlands, used to be found in Needwood Forest, and a specimen taken many years ago near Rugeley is now in the possession of Mr. R. W. Chase. The Fox, _Vulpes vulgaris_, being strictly preserved, is sufficiently abundant.

RODENTIA.

The Squirrel, _Sciurus vulgaris_, is thinly distributed, and may occasionally be seen in most of the large woods, as for instance, those in Sutton, Hagley, and Arbury Parks, where the dreys are built on the forked branches of the trees. The Dormouse, _Myoxus avellanarius_, is also rare, but is occasionally met with by hedgers, when dressing fences. As it is semi-gregarious, when one is found more may be expected. The nest is built of grass, compact, globular, about five inches in diameter, with the entrance near the base. A nest was taken at Cofton Reservoir, near Barnt Green, in April, 1885. The Harvest Mouse, _Mus minutus_, is the smallest of our quadrupeds, building a small round and firm nest among the ears of corn, or stems of reeds. It is generally distributed, and has been taken near Stratford-on-Avon, Merivale and Atherstone. The long-tailed Field Mouse, _M. sylvaticus_, is plentiful, and often turned up by the spade or plough. The Common Mouse, _M. musculus_, abundant in buildings. The Black Rat, _M. rattus_, although rare, is still to be found in small colonies, generally in the cellars of large towns, where it is comparatively secure from the attacks of its greatest enemy and destroyer, the Brown Rat. A single recent example has been taken within the last six months at New Parks, near Leicester, and is now in the possession of Mr. F. T. Mott. The rarity of the occurrence justifies this record, although the locality is outside the radius agreed upon. The Brown Rat, _M. decumanus_ is abundant in both buildings and hedgerows. The Water Vole, _Arvicola amphibius_, better known as the Water Rat, is common on all the streams of the Midlands. The common Field-Vole, _A. agrestis_, is plentiful in the meadows, where their nests are frequently exposed by the mowers. The Red Field or Bank-Vole, _A. glareolus_, is much more rare and distinguished from the last species, by its rich chestnut fur; several of these were taken at Belvoir Castle, in July, 1885. The Hare, _Lepus timidus_, and the Rabbit, _L. cuniculus_, have been greatly reduced in numbers since the passing of the Hares and Rabbits Bill in 1881.

RUMINANTIA.

The Red Deer, _Cervus elaphus_, as recently as 1800, roamed wild over Cannock Chase and Needwood Forest, but is now confined to the areas of the large parks, such as Gopsall and Beaudesert. The Fallow Deer, _C. dama_, formerly existed in thousands on Cannock Chase, and is now the chief ornament of the parks. The Roe Deer, _Capreolus caprea_, was also common, but has become extinct. The Wild Cattle, _Bos taurus_, under the fostering care of the Lords Ferrars, at Chartley, near Stafford, still constitute the greatest curiosity among the Midland mammals. Garner, in his history of Staffordshire, relates that these animals at one time roamed free over Needwood Forest, and how, in the thirteenth century, William de Ferrariis enclosed a thousand acres of high-lying moorland, the turf of which is in the same condition now as then, and within this enclosure the animals are maintained in their pristine purity. At the present time this herd consists of about thirty head, comprising three bulls, the oldest aged nine years, a magnificent beast, with deep chest, black muzzle and ears, black-tipped, wide-spreading horns, and forefeet also flecked with black, the prevailing colour being a rich creamy white. So sensitive are these cattle, as the result of their high breeding, that calves unduly handled are forsaken by their mothers; and older beasts, if subjected to forcible restraint, will often, as the keeper put it to the writer, “just wag their tails and die.” When the calves are with them the cows are dangerous to approach.

PACHYDERMATA.

Before leaving the local mammals, the celebrated red breed of Tamworth Pigs, _Sus scrofa_, deserves mention as one of the best, most useful, and healthy of the many well-known kinds; but there is no reason to suppose that it, any more than the others, can claim descent from the reputed Wild Pigs of Needwood.

II.--REPTILES.

SAURIA.

The Sand Lizard, _Lacerta agilis_, occurs in Leicestershire and Worcestershire, and is to be met with on Cannock Chase and similar localities. The Viviparous Lizard, _Zootoca vivipara_, is found in Sutton Park, is smaller and more active than the Sand Lizard, and differs from that species inasmuch as the young are born alive.

SAUROPHIDIA.

The Blindworm, _Anguis fragilis_, is not infrequent, specimens have been obtained at Sutton Park, Merivale, Baddesley Ensor, Beaudesert, the Forest of Wyre and Habberley Valley, near Kidderminster.

OPHIDIA.

The Ringed Snake, _Natrix torquata_, is seldom seen in the neighbourhood of Tamworth--although on one occasion the occupants of a boat on the river Anker saw one of these snakes glide down the bank and swim towards them--it is common in Merivale Park, occasionally found in Sutton Park, and near Dudley. The Viper or Adder, _Pelias berus_, our only poisonous reptile, is locally common, but generally rare; a large number were killed in Sutton Park during the summer of 1884; it is plentiful on Chartley Moss, Cannock Chase, and in the Forest of Wyre. The Viper is shorter and thicker than the Common Snake, and easily distinguished by the V shaped marking on the head.

ANOURA.

The Common Frog, _Rana temporaria_, is very abundant, and may be seen in hundreds in the ditches during March. The Common Toad, _Bufo vulgaris_, is also generally distributed.

URODELA.

The Common Warty-Newt, _Triton cristatus_, may be found in ponds throughout the district. The Smooth-Newt, _Lissotriton punctatus_, is a habitant of every clear horsepond, where it can be seen either basking on the bottom, or rising to the surface for air; this species often leaves the water, and hides under stones.