38 THE BLUE JAY Vol. XV, No. 1 Saskatchewan Silver-haired Bat Records By ROBERT W. NERO, Saskatchewan Museum of Natural History Published information on the dis¬ The general distribution of the Sil¬ tribution of mammals in Saskatche¬ ver-haired Bat in Saskatchewan as wan, as indicated by Fuller (1943), shown by Palmer (1954) and Burt is extremely limited, particularly in and Grossenheider (1952) covers all the case of smaller mammals such of the province except the Hudson- as the bats. This situation is partly ian life zone (northern one-quarter the result of a scarcity of records. of the province). The area involved is large and re¬ Forty records of this bat in Sas¬ mote — the determination cf the katchewan during the last four fauna of this province as well as its decades are presented in table 1. distribution and significance is This includes material from a pub neccessarily an immense task. The lished report by Banfield (1941) and extent to which naturalists and other from several issues of the Blue Jay interested individuals can contribute (Mrs. I. M. Priestly, through con¬ to this end may be demonstrated by stant queries on the subject of bats the present paper. in the Blue Jay from 1942 to 1946 The Silver-haired Bat (Lasiony- evoked a number of valuable con-j ceteris noctivagans) is a medium¬ tributions. As a result, Rand (1942 sized and blackish-brown bat. The submitted a list of Saskatchewan hairs of the back and belly are bats.) Records of specimens in th( usually tipped with silvery-white National Museum of Canada wer hence its name. Its wing-spread sent to the Saskatchewan Museun measures from 11 to 13 inches. of Natural History by Dr. A. Wj Cameron (1951:7) considers it to Cameron. Dr. S. C. Downing for be “rather rare” in Canada, although warded the data from the Roya it has been stated by C. H. Merriam Ontario Museum and Mr. Harve to be the most abundant bat in the Beck submitted a list of specimen) Adirondacks of New York (Hamil¬ in the collections of the Universit ton, 1943:81). In contrast with of Saskatchewan. Additional record several species which breed in or specimens were submitted by th colonies this bat is usually thought ethers indicated. The 18 specime to be solitary in. habits (e.g., Burt, received in 1955 and 1956 resulte 1946:111). Hamilton, however, states from public response to our new that at times it is sociable” . paper and radio requests for bats often congregating in vast numbers.” The situation in which many c| (1943:81). According to most au¬ these bats were found (see table 1 thors it is found in wooded areas shows that this species utilizes man) near water, and it is generally made structures at least as restinj known as a “tree bat.” It is distri¬ places and possibly as breeding site buted from the Atlantic to the Pacific, It might pay to look in similar plactj over most of the United States and earlier in the season, in June a the southern half of Canada. July, for females with young. T Cameron states (1951:7) that the large number of August and Se; Silver-haired Bat has been recorded tember records probably relate in Canada from Quebec west to some aspect of the life history <] Alberta, but Anderson also lists it this species, possibly mating for British Columbia (1946:29). This migration. So little is known of the species is thought to occur through¬ habits that one can only specula out Alberta in the forested areas on the cause for this apparent ii (Rand, 1948:63). Bailey (1926:212) crease in appearance. Note tl said that it was probably found” . nearly even sex ration (15 female over at least the forested parts of 13 males) and the even month North Dakota during the breeding distribution of the specimens (6 f season and the months of greatest males - 7 males: August; 6 females insect activity”—Soper (1946:135) 4 males: September). found: “. no records of its oc¬ The distribution of the availat currence on the Great Plains to the records is shown on the accompan west (of Manitoba), although it ing map. A Manitoba record at T doubtless occurs there as a migrant.” Pas (ROMZP) has been includ . tfarch, 1957 THE BLUE JAY 39 ;o indicate the probable occurrence breeding species throughout the his species in that sector of Sask- Transition and Canadian life zones itchewan. The preponderance of in suitable areas of Saskatchewan. -ecords in the Transition lifezone Further work will obviously be (southern third of the province) may needed to establish the definite ie attributed to the greater number breeding range as well as the total )f observers in this region. Never- area of distribution. ;heless, it is apparent that the Sil¬ Migration data on bats is exceed¬ ver-haired Bat is of frequent ingly limited. The present records jccurrence in southern Saskatchewan, indicate the presence of Silver-haired [t may even be considered to be Bats in Saskatchewan as early as :ommon: of 31 bats received at the June 7 and as late as October 12. The nuseum in 1955 and 1956, 18 were October records suggest that some Silver-haired Bats, four were Red members of this species, although it 3ats (Lasiurus borealis), and nine is regarded as being highly migra¬ were Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus tory — records far out over the fuscus). Atlantic being available, may spend Owing to the migratory nature of the winter here in hibernation. Beer the Silver-haired Bat most of the (1956:282) reported finding a Sil¬ "ecords are uncertain as regards ver-haired Bat hibernating in a cave breeding status. Breeding records in in Minnesota in January; he points North Dakota in June and July out that records of this species in (Bailey, 1926:212-213) and particu¬ hibernation are quite rare. larly the presence of females with A number of Silver-haired Bats young in August at Buffalo Narrows were kept by me in captivity for (Novakowski, 1954) suggest, how¬ several weeks in 1955 and 1956, per¬ ever, that many of these records may mitting school-group demonstrations, actually represent breeding localities. a TV program and much incidental Note also the specimens taken in entertainment. All were fed raw June at Govenlock and in July at beef liver and fresh banana. Oddly Yorkton. These data suggest that enough, considering their insectivor¬ the Silver-haired Bat may be a ous habits, they readily ate banana. Photo by F. W. Lahrman Silver-haired Bat feeding, September, 1956 40 THE BLUE JAY Vol. XV, No. 1 Photo by R. W. Fyfe Female Silver-haired Bat skin. Tregarva, Sask., Sept. 10, 1956 (This fruit, along with, of all things, cottage cheese, has long been used as a standard diet for bats in cap¬ tivity.) The possibility of the closely related and equally insectivorous Red Bat feeding on fruit in the wild has been commented on by Mr. H. H. Pittman of Wauchope, Sask.: “I am not prepared to say that there is any Figure 1. Silver-haired Bat Distribution: solid circles—specimens connection, direct or indirect, be¬ open circles—records tween Red Bats and wild plums but where these and some of the other fruit bushes occur the bats are often to the Blue Jay (1942, 1:32), Mr. k found.” (letter to Blue Jay, 1946, Carvell describes a bat “about s Vol. 5:5). My bats were usually fed inches long and grey in colo by hand, the bats quickly seizing and (Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus)' rapidly devouring the small bits which was lying on its back on tl which were held before their sen¬ ground and which “. when turn* sitive nostrils. Two of the captive over with a stick quickly turn* bats, when released in a large room, onto its back again.” would repeatedly dip low and skim When more than one bat was ke across the smooth floor, often actual¬ in the same container (a shoe-bo ly touching the floor with their chin they invariably clustered togeth* much as if they were attempting to one on top of the other. A furth drink. All drank greedily when pre¬ indication of their “sociability” w sented with water while being fed. obtained following the escape of foi Occasionally, when a Silver-haired bats in the museum library durh Bat was disturbed as it rested on the last week of August, 1956. Thi a level surface with its wings partly males escaped a day after a fern; spread, it would, suddenly flip over had escaped and disappeared (pi onto its • back, meanwhile baring its sumably behind books, etc.). T teeth and uttering its peculiar “elec¬ following evening all four were foul tric spark chittering.” This seemingly hanging behind a curtain, the thi 1 aggressive or defensive behavior re¬ males clustered about the feme . minded one of a similar behavior This behavior and the condition often seen in captive owls. In a letter (Continued on Page 46) arch. 1957_THE BLUE JAY_ 41 Saskatchewan Silver-Haired Bat Records Table 1 Specimen (S) or ite Location Situation Sex Report (R) by Collection ig. 23, ’13 Craven ? F H. H. Mitchell S SMNH ig. 27, ’13 Regina p M H. H. Mitchell S SMNH ig. 18, ’31 Regina P A. Chorolsky S ROMZP ne 7, ’33 Gcvenlock p M H. F. Hughes S NMC ne 7, ’33 Gov^nlock P F H. F. Hughes S NMC ig. 19, ’34 Swift Current On haystack P R. Kruse S SCCM ig. 14, 39 Dundum Barnyard clearing ? A.