264 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
way out, but returned the next night. He is a fat and stupid beast, and 
paid no attention to a Lop-eared Rabbit which I saw hop into his den. 
More recently a pair of small Badger cubs were dug out in the same 
district, but unfortunately were destroyed. An old male is still about the 
woods, and has lately been digging at the disused earths. —H. M. Wattis 
(Holmesdale, Reading). 
Martens 1x CumBertaAndD.—On April 12th a female Marten was 
killed by the hounds on Middlefell, in Wastdale. Its breeding retreat was 
discovered and two young ones found, still blind, one being considerably 
larger than the other. The smaller of the two was given to a cat which 
had lately become a mother, in hopes that she would suckle it, but by the 
next morning it had disappeared. The next day (April 13th) another fine 
female was trapped near Dalegarth, in Eskdale. This last, which I saw 
myself, had a white breast, very faintly tinged with yellow.—Cuar.us A. 
Parker (Gosforth, Carnforth). 
Former OccuRRENCE oF THE Marren iN Eissex.—I can add one 
more to the list of occurrences of the Marten in East Anglia. About 1822 
one was killed in the Waltham Woods, near Chelmsford, by the late 
Mr. Thomas Gopsill, of Broomfield, near Chelmsford. I learn from my 
father, who had it from the actor, that, seeing something move in a crow’s 
nest, he fired and the Marten rolled out dead. I do not think this can 
have been a Polecat, an animal which was common at that time and 
long afterwards, but is not arboreal in its habits. My father remembers 
seeing five full-grown Polecats killed together in a drain by a terrier near 
Chelmsford—H. M. Wants (Holmesdale, Reading). 
Sroat 1n Ermine Dress.—On the 3rd March last I saw near here 
a very beautiful example of the Stoat assuming the ermine dress. It was 
perfectly white, excepting the black tip of the tail, and an exceedingly 
regular, oblong, red-brown patch on the middle of the back, looking 
exactly like a saddle. Being in hot pursuit of a rabbit this Stoat did 
not notice me. I had therefore, by standing quite still, opportunity of 
observing it, within a few yards distance, for nearly ten minutes, as it 
made several casts to pick up the scent—O, P. CamBriner (Bloxworth, 
Blandford). 
Poxtecat IN BeprorpsHire.—On. March 28th a Polecat was killed at 
Sir George Osborn’s seat at Chicksands Priory, and brought to Mr. Wright, 
of Clifton, to be stuffed. It is reported that another was trapped elsewhere 
in the county; but I have not been able to get the latter occurrence properly 
authenticated.—C. Marruew Prior (Bedford). 
Bank VoLw NEAR Exetrer.—On the 21st March last Mr. A. Dudley, 
of Ide, brought me a living specimen of this little rodent, Arvicola glareolus 
