The Zoologist — Septicmbeie, 1871. 2753 



Common Shrew. — Common. Local name " rauny." 



Water Shrew. — Messrs. Paget (' Natural History of Yarmouth') 

 say this species is found in " marsh-ditch banks," and that it is 

 "rather rare." Rev. R. Lubbock ('Fauna of Norfolk') says it 

 occurs, but not so generally as the common shrew. I have never 

 met with it in Norfolk, nor has Mr. Gurney, who, however, once 

 saw one from Oulton, near Lowestoft. The Rev. H. T. Frere saw 

 either this or the next species in a pond at Roydon Hall a iew years 

 ago, but although he watched it for some time he was unable to 

 capture it for identification. 



Oared Shrew. — First made known as a British species from an 

 individual taken by Dr. Hooker in Norfolk. Mr. Gurney has met 

 with this species at Keswick and Stoke Holy Cross : it has also 

 occurred at Gillingham, Fakenham and Framingham. 



Badger. — At the commencement of the present century the 

 badger was not uncommon in Norfolk : it is probable the aboriginal 

 race is now extinct, and that those occasionally met with are either 

 stragglers or descended from a stock introduced in consequence 

 of their usefulness in forming earths for the foxes. In 1834 

 Messrs. Paget wrote, " Thirty years ago these were common, 

 especially about Bradwell and Browston [Suffolk], but they are 

 entirely extirpated." T find the following instances of the occur- 

 rence of the badger in Norfolk : — 1857, February 12th, adult, killed 

 in the railway cutting near Brundall. 1860, March 9th, old female, 

 at Hickling. 1862, January 4th, one taken alive at Intwood : this 

 is the one referred to by Mr. Gurney (Trans. Norfolk and Norwich 

 Nat. Soc. 1869-70, p. 25) as having been dug out of its burrow at 

 Intwood. 1864, February 11th, an adult at Melton; and 1865, 

 July 26th, a young male at the same place. 1868, one at Somerton. 

 Mr. F. Norgate, writing in December, 1870, says, "About four 

 years ago a gamekeeper told me he dug a badger out of a hole in 

 the parish of Sail (or Heydon .?), and in a branch of the same hole 

 was a nest of three young rabbits, alive." 



Otter. — The otter is found occasionally on all the streams in the 

 county, but its great stronghold is in the broads, where it is probably 

 more numerous than is generally supposed ; its retiring habits and 

 the silent manner in which it glides into the water upon the first 

 alarm enable it easily to escape detection. When the snow is on the 

 ground their " seals" are often observed. In Mr. Stevenson's notes 

 1 find mention of no less than forty otters sent up to Norwich for 



