CLASS MAMMALIA. 43 



Bois station by a train (Essex County Chronicle, November 9th, 

 1888). Several more were reported from the Epping Forest 

 District at the same time. 



In Mr. Philip Benton's History of Rochford Hundred it 

 is stated (vol. i., p. 197), that, so long ago as 1841, one was 

 captured on Foulness Island, and another on New England 

 Island. Both had burrows in the sea-wall. In May 1891, 

 a Badger was unearthed by a rabbit-shooting party on the 

 Asheldham Hall estate (Essex County Chronicle ', May 29th). 



Mr. B. Morris, writing in 1894 to a London newspaper 

 (Standard, May i/th), related that eleven Badgers had been 

 captured in a wood near Braintree shortly before, and ex- 

 pressed his regret that there should have been such a whole- 

 sale destruction of this interesting animal. It appeared, 

 however, from further correspondence published, that only 

 two of the number were killed, the remaining nine being set 

 at liberty in various parts of the kingdom, some being retained 

 in the county. 



In 1896, I purchased a pair of young Badgers, lately 

 caught with their mother (who was unfortunately killed), at 

 Stanway, where Badgers appear to have continually existed. 

 They were liberated in the county on an estate where they 

 will be well cared for. One, weighing 28 Ibs., was shot in 

 Brooke's Wood, Stisted, early in May, 1897 (Essex County 

 Chron., May I4th, 1897). 



Remembering the above records, we may hope that the 

 Badger will long continue to be a member of the Essex 

 Fauna. 



Genus LUTRA, Erxleben. 



Lutra vulgaris, Erxleben. COMMON OTTER 

 This animal is not as uncommon in Essex as it was in 

 years gone by, when there seemed every probability that the 

 Otter would become quite extinct in the county. Its dis- 



