174 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
ones measured 35 inches long they still retained their milk-canines; the 
permanent canines were well grown—much larger than the milk-teeth: 
I have several times noticed this in young Otters. Of these three young 
ones I cannot guess the age, nor do I know the weight, as I did not see 
them in the flesh. 
I mention these particularly, as they seem to tell against my theory 
as to the period of birth, and are almost the only instances I have met 
with in this neighbourhood. In my article on the Otter I was unable 
to say with certainty the number of teats found in the female Otter. 
I have now on several occasions found it to be six. As to the number 
of young produced at a birth, two and three appear to be about equally 
frequent; in only one instance have I known four—that number was 
found in a nest in the middle of February, 1865. The heaviest Otter 
I have ever seen (a male) weighed 37 tbs., and measured only 48 inches in 
total length, whereas I have seen a male Otter measuring 53 inches which 
weiged only 27 tbs.; so much for condition. A very poor female which 
I saw on the 16th of the present month (March) measured 43 inches and 
weighed only 10 tbs. Ihave noticed in very young Otters that they differ 
almost as much in comparative weight and size; so that weight is certainly 
not a safe indication of the age of the little one; length would be much 
more reliable. But I should be very glad to hear that Mr. Cocks had 
mated his lonely females, and was likely to observe with certainty the 
period of gestation and progress of the young ones. ‘The time of pairing 
in confinement I do not think would be of any value as an indication of 
what takes place in a state of nature.—T’. Sournwrxt (Norwich). 
Rare Brrps 1n tHE Humper Disrrict.—During the past autumn 
and winter I have noted the following uncommon birds in this district :— 
On the 6th September a rather rare wader was obtained at Spurn Point— 
namely, the Spotted Redshank. This example, now in the collection of 
Major Seddon, of Waltham Cross, is a female bird in immature plumage. 
Between the 2lst and 27th September three Black-tailed Godwits, all 
females and immature, were obtained at Spurn. Also, in the same locality, 
a remarkably fine old male Velvet Scoter, shot October 18th. It is very 
curious how rarely we meet with the Velvet Scoter in any stage of plumage 
near our coast or within the estuary of the Humber. It is essentially a 
sea duck, and rarely occurs close in shore. It is far commoner at sea off 
the Norfolk coast than along the Lincolnshire or Yorkshire seaboard; in 
the former locality nearly every flock of the Common Scoter will contain 
one or more pairs of Velvet Scoters, readily distinguishable by the white 
speculum on the wing. North of the Wash it is quite a rare occurrence 
when at sea to come across any of these ducks. On January 21st I saw a 
Great Ash-coloured Shrike within a short distance of the town of Grimsby. 
I first noticed it perched on an upper twig in a quick-fence; on leaving 
