246 A PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE MAMMALS 
Family—MUSTELADZ., 
Common Otter (Luira vulgaris, Erxleb.) Common on the 
banks of the Dee. Sometimes specimens are seen as low 
down as the Dee Bridge, Chester, but it seems most common 
at Eaton and Farndon. Of frequent occurrence in the 
Weaver; in this river in the winter of 1892, five were seen 
together, and one of them shot which weighed 23 pounds. 
In the same year three were seen in the Gowy, at Stapleford; 
but I have never seen or heard of examples occurring at or 
near the mouth of this river. 
Stoat, or Ermine (JMJustela erminea, ZL.) White specimens 
of this common species are very frequent in Cheshire and parts of 
North Wales; there are three in the Museum Collection, as also 
a specimen in the transition stage. 
I once saw one of these daring little animals rob a thrush’s 
nest of its eggs. The nest was built in a yew tree some five 
feet from the ground, and I distinctly saw it bring down an egg 
in its mouth and lay it safely on the grass plot near the tree. 
When examined, the egg was found only to have the teeth 
marks of the animal in it; it was not otherwise broken. 
Common Weasel (MJuséela vulgaris, Linn.) Not so com- 
mon as the preceding species. 
Polecat, or Fitchet Weasel (Mustela putorius, Linn.) 
There is an adult specimen of this animal in the Museum 
Collection, said to have been taken in North Wales. Unfortu- 
nately, however, the label has been lost, and I fail to get 
any reliable information as to the locality. 
MERIONETHSHIRE: In the Zoologist for 1892, pp. 74, 108, 
Mr. C. H. Caton Haicu, of Aber-ia, Penrhyndeudraeth, gives 
records of no less than nine individuals that were killed in the 
winters of 1890-91 ; and also states that he “saw in a fishmon- 
ger’s shop at Dolgelly, a large bundle of Polecat’s skins, said to 
have been procured in that neighbourhood, where, however, I 
was told that they were much less common than formerly.” 
The British Marten, or Marten Cat (artes Sylvatica, 
Nilsson.) Although practically extinct in many parts of the 
country, I have seen no less than three examples of this rare 
animal in the flesh ; all from the Society’s district. 
CHESHIRE: One in the Museum Collection was shot at Eaton, 
near Chester, on the estate of His GrRAcE THE DUKE OF 
WESTMINSTER, K.G., who very kindly presented the specimen 
to the Museum. Mr. Gartanp (head-keeper) writes: “I send 
you a Marten Cat which was killed here yesterday morning, 
coming to the ‘ Pheasants’ Field.’ It is the first I have seen 
in Cheshire.” (Dated July 8th, 1891.) The fur on the upper 
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