A Collection of Bats from Hong Kong

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American Society of Mammalogists A Collection of Bats from Hong Kong Author(s): Carleton J. Phillips and Nixon Wilson Source: Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 49, No. 1 (Feb., 1968), pp. 128-133 Published by: American Society of Mammalogists Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1377739 . Accessed: 18/07/2014 17:30 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . American Society of Mammalogists is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Mammalogy. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 86.44.186.106 on Fri, 18 Jul 2014 17:30:43 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Transcript of A Collection of Bats from Hong Kong

Page 1: A Collection of Bats from Hong Kong

American Society of Mammalogists

A Collection of Bats from Hong KongAuthor(s): Carleton J. Phillips and Nixon WilsonSource: Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 49, No. 1 (Feb., 1968), pp. 128-133Published by: American Society of MammalogistsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1377739 .

Accessed: 18/07/2014 17:30

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

American Society of Mammalogists is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access toJournal of Mammalogy.

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JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY

A COLLECTION OF BATS FROM HONG KONG

In Hong Kong in July, August, and September 1964, Nixon Wilson and William J. Voss from the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, collected zoological specimens including 34 specimens of bats of five genera and 10 species. Five of the species (Rhinolophus affinis, Myotis fimbriatus, Myotis davidii, Myotis ricketti, and Miniopterus australis) have not been reported previously from the Colony of Hong Kong.

One specimen (Pipistrellus pulveratus) was obtained on Hong Kong Island; the other 33 specimens are from an abandoned silver mine in the valley of Mui Wo on Lantau Island. The mine is a complex of tunnels on two levels. The tunnels are 1 to 2 m wide, 2 to 3 m high, and up to 100 m long; several have more than one opening. Most of the bats were collected in tunnels of the lower level, where water was about a meter deep in some places.

Unless indicated otherwise, all measurements are in millimeters and external measure- ments, except length of forearm and length of phalanx, were taken by Wilson prior to preparation of specimens; other measurements were taken by Phillips. Measurements of hind feet include the longest claw. Phylogenetic arrangement and nomenclature generally follows that of Ellerman and Morrison-Scott (1966). One specimen (Myotis ricketti) reported here is in the American Museum of Natural History; the other specimens are in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Catalogue numbers (cited in parentheses in the fol- lowing accounts) of the specimens in the Bishop Museum carry the prefix BBM-HK on the labels.

Financial support for this study was provided by United States Army Medical Research and Development Command grant G 65 and National Science Foundation grants GF 58 and GF 151 (United States-Japan Cooperative Science Program) to the Entomology De- partment of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum. We acknowledge the helpful assistance of Karl F. Koopman, American Museum of Natural History, who arranged a loan of com- parative materials. E. Raymond Hall and J. Knox Jones, Jr., The University of Kansas, kindly reviewed the manuscript. William J. Voss, Hui Wai Ming, and Alan and Patricia Marshall assisted with the field work. Helen Tong prepared the figure.

Rhinolophus affinis hainanus J. A. Allen, 1906.-One adult male (65098). Previously this subspecies has been known only from Hainan in the South China Sea, about 400 km southwest of Hong Kong (Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1966: 113). G. M. Allen (1938: 171) thought that R. a. hainanus was confined to Hainan.

Our specimen agrees with published descriptions and with specimens from Hainan in the American Museum of Natural History, except that the tail, 31, is much longer than the tibia. J. A. Allen (1906: 482) reported the length of the tail of the type to be "much shorter than the tarsus" [sic = tibia]. Length of the tail in the type specimen is 16.

The genus Rhinolophus is in need of taxonomic revision. Many of the Asian species are known only from a few specimens. Fig. 1 shows the structure of the nose leaf of R. a. hainanus and Rhinolophus rouxi sinicus. The differences shown may facilitate identification of these two species.

Our specimen was captured on 26 September while in flight through a tunnel in the lower level of the mine. Some measurements are: head and body, 59; tail vertebrae, 31; hind foot, 12; ear, 22; forearm, 51; greatest length of skull, 23.2; zygomatic breadth, 10.4; palatal length, 2.0; maxillary toothrow, 5.9; mandibular toothrow, 8.3.

Rhinolophus rouxi sinicus Andersen, 1905.-Two males and five females (65021a- 65021f and 65097). This species has been reported from Hong Kong (Romer, 1966: 4) and from Chinteh and Anhwei, China (Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1966: 114).

The second phalanx of the third metacarpal in R. r. sinicus is not more than one and a half times the length of the first phalanx (according to Andersen, 1905: 101-102). G. M. Allen (1938: 166) thought this was a diagnostic character of sinicus. In each of our specimens the second phalanx of the third metacarpal is more than one and a half

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GENERAL NOTES

FIG. 1.-Nose leaf of Rhinolophus affinis hainanus (left), 65098 S, and R. rouxi sinicus (right), 65021a 8.

times the first. In all other measurements our specimens agree well with specimens of sinicus reported in literature and with those in the American Museum of Natural History.

One male and five females, collected on 23 July, were part of a cluster of about 10 R. rouxi hanging on the side of a tunnel in the upper part of the mine. All five females were lactating. On 26 September one male was captured in flight in a tunnel in the lower part of the mine. External measurements of two males and five females are: head and body, 49.9 (47-52); tail vertebrae, 22.3 (20-25); hind foot, 9.7 (9-10); ear, 18.0 (17-19); forearm, 45.7 (42-49); first phalanx of third metacarpal, 13.4 (12.6-14.0); second phalanx of third metacarpal, 22.8 (22.5-23.2). Some cranial measurements of two males are: greatest length of skull, 19.7, 20.4; zygomatic breadth, 9.8, 10.1; palatal length, 1.8, 2.0; maxillary toothrow, 5.7, 5.8; mandibular toothrow, 6.7, 7.4.

Hipposideros armiger armiger (Hodgson, 1835).-Three males and one female (65069-71, 65091). Romer (1960: 2) previously reported H. armiger from Hong Kong Island but did not identify the bats to subspecies because both H. a. armiger and H. a. swinhoei (Peters, 1871) had been reported from nearby localities in China (Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1966: 128). Hill (1963: 93), in his revisionary study of the genus, concluded that H. a. swinhoei was synonymous with H. a. armiger.

Hipposideros armiger probably has two color phases. In two of our specimens the nape is soiled white and the back is dark brown; in the other two specimens hairs of the nape have a yellowish tint and hairs of the back are dark brown with pale tips that impart a slightly frosted appearance. The dull-colored specimens are slightly smaller and have teeth with sharper crowns than the two brightly colored specimens. Possibly these differences in color can be correlated with age. These two color "phases" have caused taxonomic confusion in the past (Iowell, 1929: 14; G. M. Allen, 1938: 192-193).

Hipposideros armiger was the commonest bat in the mine in August and September. On 19 September the population was estimated to consist of 150 individuals. They were found in a tunnel on the lower level, hanging singly in two domelike areas. These bats were easily disturbed and when approached took flight before they could be caught by hand.

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Measurements of a male and a female in the dull color-phase and of two males in the bright color-phase are, respectively, as follows: head and body, 105, 102, 112, 107; tail vertebrae, 50, 53, 52, 48; hind foot, 19, 17, 17, 18; ear, 31, 32, 32, 30; forearm, 89, 86, 90, 91; greatest length of skull, 30.9, 31.0, 31.4, 31.7; zygomatic breadth, 16.3, 17.2, 17.6, 17.5; maxillary toothrow, 11.0, 11.4, 11.6, 10.9; mandibular toothrow, 13.2, 13.3, 12.9, 13.2.

Myotis myotis chinensis (Tomes, 1857).-Two males and three females (65021g, 65035, 65077-79). Ellerman and Morrison-Scott (1966: 144) reported this bat from Yunnan to Fukien in southern China and Romer (1966: 5) has reported a single specimen from Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Our specimens are slightly larger in external measurements than the type of chinensis (Tomes, 1857: 52). Cranial measurements of specimens from Hong Kong agree with cranial measurements of specimens from Fukien and Chekiang reported by G. M. Allen (1938: 209).

On 23 July and 18 August females of M. m. chinensis were hanging singly on the wall of a tunnel in the upper level of the mine. The female obtained on 18 August behaved lethargically and appeared to be lactating. On 19 September a cluster of six individuals was found on a wall in the lower part of the mine. These bats were lethargic; three (two males and a female) were prepared as museum specimens.

Measurements of one male and three females are, respectively, as follows: head and body, 86, 83, 82, 76; tail vertebrae, 60, 60, 63, 59; hind foot, 15, 12, 15, 14; ear, 20, 19.5, 19, 20; tragus, 10, 10, 10, 10; forearm, 63, 65, 64, 60; greatest length of skull, 19.9, 22.0, 20.1, 18.8; zygomatic breadth, 14.9, 14.8, 15.2, 14.3; maxillary tooth- row, 7.4, 7.5, 7.7, 7.4; mandibular toothrow, 8.8, 8.7, 9.1, 8.3.

Myotis fimbriatus (Peters, 1871).-Two females (65074-75). Myotis fimbriatus previously was known only from Fukien, China (see Swinhoe, 1871: 617; Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1966: 148).

G. M. Allen (1938: 214) suggested that fimbriatus might be conspecific with Myotis capaccinii (Bonaparte, 1837); Tate (1941: 551) also noted the apparently close relation- ship between the two species. Because the ranges of fimbriatus and capaccinii, as presently known, are separated geographically by most of central Asia (see Ognev, 1928: 356; Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1966: 148), we continue to treat fimbriatus as a distinct species.

Our specimens agree in color with the type specimen, but lack hairy tibiae reported for the type by Swinhoe (1871: 617) and G. M. Allen (1938: 214). Externally our two specimens are slightly larger than those from Fukien in the U. S. National Museum.

Our two females were obtained on 19 September in the rear of a tunnel of the lower level of the mine. One individual was hidden several cm deep in a small hole that had been drilled in the ceiling of the tunnel. The smaller of the two females was molting. Neither appeared to be reproductively active. Some measurements of these two specimens are: head and body, 51, 52; tail vertebrae, 34, 40; hind foot, 9, 10; ear, 14, 15; tragus, 5, 5; forearm, 35.6, 38.6; greatest length of skull, 14.7, 15.0; zygomatic breadth, 8.5, 8.4; palatal length, 5.6, 5.6; maxillary toothrow, 4.5, 4.4; mandibular toothrow, 5.2, 5.1.

Myotis davidii (Peters, 1869).-A male (65076). The species has been reported previously from Hopei and Kiangsi (G. M. Allen, 1938: 224) and from Hainan (J. A. Allen, 1906:488).

Our specimen is slightly larger than the type from Peking (judging from measurements given by Dobson, 1879: 300), but agrees well with a specimen from Hainan in the American Museum of Natural History that J. A. Allen (1906: 488) noted was slightly larger than the type specimen and might represent an insular subspecies. Although M. davidii usually is characterized by having upper and lower second premolars displaced lingually from the toothrow, the second lower premolars of our specimen are within

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the row. The taxonomic status of M. davidii will remain in doubt until additional specimens are available for study.

Our specimen was obtained on 19 September in a tunnel of the lower part of the mine where specimens of M. fimbriatus were found. Some measurements of this individual, an adult male, are: head and body, 53; tail vertebrae, 34; hind foot, 9; ear, 15; tragus, 5; forearm, 33.5; greatest length of skull, 14; zygomatic breadth, 8.5; maxillary toothrow, 4.2; mandibular toothrow, 4.7.

Myotis ricketti (Thomas, 1894).-Six males (65036-39, 65046, 65067). Elerman and Morrison-Scott (1966: 150) summarized the distribution as Fukien, Anhwei, and Shantung, all of which are north and northeast of Hong Kong. Our specimens agree with those studied by Thomas (1894: 300) and G. M. Allen (1938: 225-226). Coloration of the underparts of our specimens from Lantau varies from buffy to white, whereas the dorsum is uniformly dark gray.

On 18 August a cluster of 15 individuals of M. ricketti was found hanging on a wall in the rear of a tunnel in the upper level of the abandoned silver mine on Lantau. All bats in the cluster, of which five adult males were collected, behaved lethargically. Testes of these individuals ranged from 2.5 X 5.0 to 3.0 X 5.0. On 19 September a group of six bats, two of which were caught and one of which was prepared as a museum specimen, were found in a tunnel in the lower level of the mine. The bats found on 19 September were much more active than those observed on 18 August. The testes of the male obtained on 19 September measured 5.0 X 6.0.

Average and extreme measurements of six males are: head and body, 74.6 (71-79); tail vertebrae, 50 (48-53); hind foot, 18.6 (18-19); ear, 19.1 (18-20); tragus, 8.8 (8.5-9.0); forearm, 54.5 (52-56); greatest length of skull, 19.8 (19.2-20.9); zygomatic breadth, 12.6 (12.4-13.2); palatal length, 8 (7.4-8.8); maxillary toothrow, 6.7 (6.6-6.8); mandibular toothrow, 7.5 (7.3-7.7).

Pipistrellus pulveratus (Peters, 1871).-One male (65030) was obtained at Victoria on Hong Kong Island. Romer (1960: 3) previously reported the species from the Colony of Hong Kong. P. pulveratus is known also from Szechuan, Yunnan, and Fukien in southern China (see Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1966: 167).

Our specimen from Hong Kong is slightly smaller than specimens of P. pulveratus studied by G. M. Allen (1938: 288) and Tate (1942: 291) but agrees with them in other ways. This individual was captured by a house cat in an apartment building. Some measurements are: head and body, 44; tail vertebrae, 33; hind foot, 7; ear, 12; tragus, 5; forearm, 31; greatest length of skull, 13.1; zygomatic breadth, 8.1; palatal length, 5; maxillary toothrow, 3.9; mandibular toothrow, 4.4.

Miniopterus schreibersii fuliginosus (Hodgson, 1835).-One male and five females (65040-45). Romer (1966: 5) previously has reported this species from Lantau Island, Hong Kong. With the exception of one unusually large female, our specimens agree with specimens from Fukien and Hainan reported by G. M. Allen (1938: 265) and deposited in the American Museum of Natural History.

Early naturalists who studied specimens of M. schreibersii failed to recognize the effects of molt, sex, age, and environment on coloration of these bats. Swinhoe (1871: 616) described specimens of M. schreibersii from Fukien as "red and black" bats. He thought adult females and young bats of both sexes were reddish brown and that adult males were black. J. A. Allen (1906: 485) reported that all specimens of M. schreibersii from Hainan were "dark reddish-brown." G. M. Allen (1923: 7) named a new subspecies (M. schreibersii parvipes, a synonym of M. s. fuliginosus) from Fukien and stated that the females, "as usual in this genus," were darker than males. Later, G. M. Allen (1938: 264) described the color as "uniform dark brown with a russet tinge, both above and below." By arranging our six specimens from Hong Kong according to size, we find the smallest ones to be dark brown, the medium-sized bats to be molting from dark brown to russet, and the largest individuals to be entirely russet. Our findings agree

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with those of Dwyer (1963: 291, 293); he reported that in Australia young individuals of M. schreibersii are "clove-brown" but molt to rufescent shades in their first year.

On 18 August a cluster of about 20 individuals of M. schreibersii fuliginosus was found on the side wall of a tunnel in the upper part of the mine. These bats became active when approached and only 11 were caught, six of which were prepared as specimens. Average and extreme measurements of five females and measurements of one male (external measurements of all specimens from dried skins) are, respectively, as follows: head and body, 64.7 (59-73), 61; tail vertebrae, 57.4 (48-61), 61; hind foot, 10.5 (10.0-11.5), 11; ear, 12 (12-12), 12; tragus, 6.0 (5.5-7.0), 6.0; forearm, 49.7 (48.0- 50.5), 50.0; greatest length of skull, 15.1 (14.3-16.7), 15.2; zygomatic breadth, 9.2 (8.9-9.2), - ; maxillary toothrow, 5.4 (5.3-5.6), 5.5; mandibular toothrow, 6.4 (6.3- 6.7), 6.3.

Miniopterus australis pusillus Dobson, 1876.-One adult male (65034). This sub- species previously was known from Borneo (Davis, 1962: 42) and Hainan (J. A. Allen, 1906: 485). In size and coloration our specimen agrees with specimens from Hainan described by G. M. Allen (1938: 267) except that the palatal length is shorter. This discrepancy may be the result of a difference in method of taking the measurement, or possibly to a difference in the condition of the skulls.

Our specimen was captured on 18 August as it flew in a tunnel in the upper level of the mine. Some measurements are: head and body, 56; tail vertebrae, 50; hind foot, 9; ear, 10; tragus, 5; forearm, 41; greatest length of skull, 13.8; zygomatic breadth, 7.3; palatal length, 4.7; maxillary toothrow, 4.1; mandibular toothrow, 4.7.

LITERATURE CITED

ALLEN, G. M. 1923. New Chinese bats. Amer. Mus. Novit., 85: 1-8. 1938. The mammals of China and Mongolia. Natural history of Central Asia.

Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 11: xxv + 1-620. ALLEN, J. A. 1906. Mammals from the island of Hainan, China. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat.

Hist., 22: 463-490. ANDERSEN, K. 1905. On some bats of the genus Rhinolophus, with remarks on their

mutual affinities and descriptions of twenty-six new forms. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, pp. 75-145.

DAVIS, D. D. 1962. Mammals of the lowland rain-forest of North Borneo. Bull. Singa- pore National Mus., 31: 1-129.

DOBSON, G. E. 1879. Catalogue of the Chiroptera in the . . British Museum. British Mus., London, xlii + 567 pp.

DWYER, P. D. 1963. Seasonal changes in pelage of Miniopterus schreibersi blepotis (Chiroptera) in north-eastern New South Wales. Australian J. Zool., 11: 290-300.

ELLERMAN, J. R., AND T. C. S. MORRISON-SCOTT. 1966. Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian mammals, 1758-1946. British Mus. (Nat. Hist.), London, 2nd ed., 810 pp.

HILL, J. E. 1963. A revision of the genus Hipposideros. Bull. British Mus. (Nat. Hist.), 2: 1-129.

HOWELL, A. B. 1926. Three new mammals from China. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 39: 137-139.

1929. Mammals from China in the collection of the United States National Museum. Proc. U. S. National Mus., 75: 1-82.

OGNEV, S. I. 1928. The mammals of eastern Europe and northern Asia. Moscow and Leningrad, 1 (Insectivora and Chiroptera): xxxi + 1-631.

ROMER, J. D. 1960. Bats known from Hong Kong. Mem. Hong Kong Nat. Hist. Soc., 4: 1-4.

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. 1966. Further records of bats in Hong Kong. Mem. Hong Kong Nat. Hist. Soc., 7: 4-5.

SWINHOE, R. 1871. Catalogue of the mammals of China (south of the River Yangtze). Proc. Zool. Soc. London, for 1870, pp. 615-653.

TATE, G. H. H. 1941. Review of Myotis of Eurasia. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 78: 537-565.

1942. Review of the Vespertilioninae bats, with special attention to genera and species of the Archbold Collections. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 80: 221-297.

THOMAS, 0. 1894. Description of a new species of Vespertilio from China. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 6, 14: 300-301.

TOMES, R. F. 1857. Descriptions of four undescribed species of bats. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1857, pp. 78-90.

CARLETON J. PHILLIPS AND NIXON WILSON, Museum of Natural History, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, 66044, and Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819. Accepted 21 September 1967.

FIRST TENNESSEE RECORD OF MUSTELA NIVALIS

The least weasel, Mustela nivalis, first was discovered in the southern Appalachian Mountains on 17 April 1916 near Marshall, Madison Co., North Carolina, at an altitude of about 1,700 ft (Church, J. Mamm., 6: 281, 1925). In subsequent years three additional specimens from North Carolina have been reported in the literature-from Jackson County (Stupka, J. Mamm., 41: 519-520, 1960), Buncombe County (Edwards, Wildlife North Carolina, 30(5): 8-9, 1963), and Henderson County (Barkalow, J. Mamm., 48: 488, 1967). These and the Tennessee specimen here reported are the only records of this weasel south of Virginia.

A male Mustela nivalis allegheniensis (USNM 332422), which I trapped on 25 Sep- tember 1962 at an elevation of 4,800 ft, on the north side of Roan Mountain, Carter Co., Tennessee, is significant not only as the first record for Tennessee, but also as the first known occurrence of this species in the Tennessee River drainage. The specimen was captured in a Museum Special trap, baited with a mixture of rolled oats, peanut butter, and anise oil, set crosswise in a narrow passageway that formed a run between two large rocks. Apparently the weasel was not attracted by the bait. Its standard external measure- ments (mm) were 173, 31, 20, 5; it weighed 42.5 g.

An overall catch success of 25-40% during trapping in 1961-1964 (January, August, September, October, November, and December) indicates that small mammal populations on Roan Mountain were relatively high during that period. However, although many types of traps, baits, and trapping methods were used in a variety of habitats with the hope of catching Mustela nivalis, only this one male was taken in 10,000 trap nights. Evidently this weasel is rare, or at least difficult to trap, in the Roan Mountain area.

The valley in which Mustela nivalis was taken contains a stream 3 to 6 ft wide that is fed by many small springs flowing from extensive talus slopes above. The forest is dense, consisting primarily of maple and beech, growing among large rocks and talus slabs that are densely overgrown by moss, ferns, and other low vegetation. The trees form a dense canopy, which shades the area and allows the soil to remain moist most of the time. Other mammals caught in the area were Sorex cinereus, Sorex dispar, Sorex fumeus, Blarina brevicauda, Parascalops breweri, Condylura cristata, Tamias striatus, Synaptomys cooperi, Clethrionomys gapperi, and Peromyscus maniculatus.

I am indebted to Dr. Charles O. Handley, Jr., of the U. S. National Museum, for critical comment and discussion.-M. D. TUTrLE, Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, 66044. Accepted 20 October 1967.

. 1966. Further records of bats in Hong Kong. Mem. Hong Kong Nat. Hist. Soc., 7: 4-5.

SWINHOE, R. 1871. Catalogue of the mammals of China (south of the River Yangtze). Proc. Zool. Soc. London, for 1870, pp. 615-653.

TATE, G. H. H. 1941. Review of Myotis of Eurasia. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 78: 537-565.

1942. Review of the Vespertilioninae bats, with special attention to genera and species of the Archbold Collections. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 80: 221-297.

THOMAS, 0. 1894. Description of a new species of Vespertilio from China. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 6, 14: 300-301.

TOMES, R. F. 1857. Descriptions of four undescribed species of bats. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1857, pp. 78-90.

CARLETON J. PHILLIPS AND NIXON WILSON, Museum of Natural History, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, 66044, and Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819. Accepted 21 September 1967.

FIRST TENNESSEE RECORD OF MUSTELA NIVALIS

The least weasel, Mustela nivalis, first was discovered in the southern Appalachian Mountains on 17 April 1916 near Marshall, Madison Co., North Carolina, at an altitude of about 1,700 ft (Church, J. Mamm., 6: 281, 1925). In subsequent years three additional specimens from North Carolina have been reported in the literature-from Jackson County (Stupka, J. Mamm., 41: 519-520, 1960), Buncombe County (Edwards, Wildlife North Carolina, 30(5): 8-9, 1963), and Henderson County (Barkalow, J. Mamm., 48: 488, 1967). These and the Tennessee specimen here reported are the only records of this weasel south of Virginia.

A male Mustela nivalis allegheniensis (USNM 332422), which I trapped on 25 Sep- tember 1962 at an elevation of 4,800 ft, on the north side of Roan Mountain, Carter Co., Tennessee, is significant not only as the first record for Tennessee, but also as the first known occurrence of this species in the Tennessee River drainage. The specimen was captured in a Museum Special trap, baited with a mixture of rolled oats, peanut butter, and anise oil, set crosswise in a narrow passageway that formed a run between two large rocks. Apparently the weasel was not attracted by the bait. Its standard external measure- ments (mm) were 173, 31, 20, 5; it weighed 42.5 g.

An overall catch success of 25-40% during trapping in 1961-1964 (January, August, September, October, November, and December) indicates that small mammal populations on Roan Mountain were relatively high during that period. However, although many types of traps, baits, and trapping methods were used in a variety of habitats with the hope of catching Mustela nivalis, only this one male was taken in 10,000 trap nights. Evidently this weasel is rare, or at least difficult to trap, in the Roan Mountain area.

The valley in which Mustela nivalis was taken contains a stream 3 to 6 ft wide that is fed by many small springs flowing from extensive talus slopes above. The forest is dense, consisting primarily of maple and beech, growing among large rocks and talus slabs that are densely overgrown by moss, ferns, and other low vegetation. The trees form a dense canopy, which shades the area and allows the soil to remain moist most of the time. Other mammals caught in the area were Sorex cinereus, Sorex dispar, Sorex fumeus, Blarina brevicauda, Parascalops breweri, Condylura cristata, Tamias striatus, Synaptomys cooperi, Clethrionomys gapperi, and Peromyscus maniculatus.

I am indebted to Dr. Charles O. Handley, Jr., of the U. S. National Museum, for critical comment and discussion.-M. D. TUTrLE, Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, 66044. Accepted 20 October 1967.

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