Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)

Phylum Vertebrata 231 shrew (Neomys anomalus milleri) at one location, Nemeskeresztúr. The former was shown to dwell in several suitable places in the county and in some of them to be abundant. The species is more common in the Little Balaton district and certain areas of Zala and Somogy counties (SCHMIDT 1974b). Further north, its incidence in the Austrian sub-Alpine areas and the Vienna Basin approaches the density in Hungary. It has not been possible to show that it occurs at Fertő (BAUER 1960), but there was a discovery in an owl cast in the Sopron Hills (ANDRÉSI and SÓDAR 1987b), although this finding has been disputed. One kilometre from the border, on the Austrian side of Fertő, the pellet of an eagle owl (Bubo bubo) nesting in a quarry yielded remains of a field vole. It may be that the vole species reaches the Sopron Hills from the side of the Austrian sub-Alpine region (JÁNOSKA 1993a). A similar habitat is favoured by the pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus), which tends to be abundant where the field vole is found. On occasions, examining owl casts can provide information on bat fauna as well, although only a fraction of the owlcast information refers to bats. The advantage is that the collector does no harm to the bat stock. Faunistic information on the bat remains recovered from owl casts up to 1970 was published by EGON SCHMIDT and GYÖRGY TOPÁL.

128 Later information of this kind includes some from locations in the West Hungarian border region, for instance two examples of a greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) from Szombathely, a lesser mouse-eared bat (M. blythii) from Kőszeg, two examples of noctules (Nyctalus noctula), and one noctule from Szombathely. The Sárvár pellet was from a tawny owl (Strix aluco), and the rest from barn owls (Tyto alba

—ÚJHELYI 1991). 128 SCHMIDT, E., and GY. TOPÁL 1971. Denevérmaradványok magyarországi bagolyköpetekből (Bat remains from owl casts in Hungary). Vertebrata hungarica 12:93-102.