The Zoologist — June, 1867. 787 



we were weary and late before we re-entered our " bod " at Gjendin's 



Osen. 



W. D. Crotch. 



Kloyne, Vaage, Nordre Gudbrands Lalen, 

 Norway, March 26, 1867. 



Labrador Badger in Kent: Abundance of Badgers in Kent.— An American 

 badger {Meles labradonica) was caught by a small trap in a wood belonging 

 to Mr. Bell, of Bourne Park, near Canterbury: it had evidently made its escape 

 from confinement, but where the animal could have come from is a mystery, 

 as there has been no exhibition of wiid animals in this district for some con- 

 siderable time. The general colour is a mixture of light brown ; under the hair 

 it has a fine silky fur, from three to four inches in length; chin, throat and breast 

 of a pearly white; the face markings in a line with the ears are of a very faint light 

 brown ; the claws of fore feet horn-colour, and considerably longer than those of the 

 common badger. The keeper's son, who caught the animal, unfortunately destroyed 

 it, from not knowing its rarity; otherwise it was slightly injured by the trap, it 

 having only two of its toes caught, and the force of the trap was not sufficient to break 

 the bones. The biting force of this badger on the trap was such as to break the two 

 upper canine teeth short off. The skull, with other portions of its bones, will shortly 

 be submitted to Professor Owen for his inspection. There have been more specimens 

 of the common badger captured and killed in Kent within the last two or three years 

 than for many years previously; two were caught a short time ago in a wood near 

 Knowlton Court; they were discovered by the East Kent foxhounds in drawing the 

 cover: the earth was supposed to contain a fox, and the diggers were surprised to find 

 their fox turn out to be a very fine badger, which was taken alive : it was placed in 

 supposed security, but on the following morning the badger was gone, having made 

 its escape during the night. The owner returned to the badger's earth to see if it had 

 gone home ; he was not long kept in doubt, for his dogs soon told him the badger had 

 returned, and was not far in : digging was again commenced, and in a short time it 

 was unearthed, with an additional one (the male) which had been overlooked on the 

 previous digging. The female soon after its capture gave birth to three young ones, 

 which lived but a short time. These two badgers are now alive and in the possession 

 of Mr. Ayres, of Nonington, in Kent. — Charles Gordon ; Dover Museum, March 23, 

 1867. 



Correction of an Error : the Gray Seal. — Agreeably to the request of your corres- 

 pondent Mr. Alston, whom I have to thank for the suggestion, the seal lately 

 captured at Seaview, near Eyde, has been inspected, and I regret to say I was mis- 

 informed, as it proves to be the gray, and uot the Greenland seal, as stated in my note 

 (Zool. S. S.700); but we cannot see everything, and must occasionally trust to 

 others: however, I did go to Hyde, to make inquiry, but the seal had been sent on to 

 Newport. I beg to inform Air. Newman that not only a drawing of the teeth, but an 

 outline sketch of the skulls of the gray, Greenland and common seal were sent, but 

 the mistake arose from the small anterior and posterior prominences of the inner 

 molars being taken for regular lobes. Not only are the canine-like molars character- 

 istic, but so is the elongated flattened head, obtuse muzzle, diagonally sloped from 



