64 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



instance of the late H. C. Watson. They have the following terms ; — 

 " Escape," which would satisfy the conditions of our Egyptian Geese and 

 Purple Gallinules, and implies human agency; "Alien," comprising what 

 we call " accidental visitors," not imported by man. These may become, 

 by establishing themselves, " Colonists" like the Rabbit in Australasia, or 

 the Sparrow in America ; the Capercaillie in Scotland is now also, strictly 

 speaking, a colonist. [In this we cannot agree. — En.]. Botanists also use 

 the word " denizen," the exact shade of meaning of which I cannot at 

 present recollect. It seems to me that some such arrangement might be 

 introduced into Zoology, without violating the unities by adopting such 

 words as " feral." — Henry H. Slater (Irchester Vicarage, Wellingboro'). 



MAMMALIA. 



Wolves in France. — Five years ago the increase of Wolves in France 

 had become so serious that the Government found it necessary to increase 

 the rewards for killing them. In 1882, 423 Wolves were killed ; in 1883, 

 1316 ; in 1884, 1035 ; in 1885, 900 ; and in 1886, 760. The rewards are 

 now 200 francs for the killing of a Wolf which has attacked human beings ; 

 150 francs for one with young; 100 francs for a male Wolf, and 40 francs 

 for a cub. 



The derivation of the name " Badger." — As supplemental to the 

 Editor's interesting remarks on the origin of the word " Badger" (pp. 3, 4), 

 it may be well to refer to the conclusion arrived at by Dr. Murray, in the 

 elaborate 'New English Dictionary upon Historical Principles,' which is 

 now issuing from the Clarendon Press, Oxford. He there cites the use of 

 the forms " Bageard " (in 1534) and " Badgerd" (in 1598). He cannot find 

 " Badger" in print earlier than in 1523, and he allows that its etymology is 

 doubtful. But Dr. Murray thinks it probable that E. Miiller's suggestion 

 is the right one, and that the name clearly comes from the substantive 

 badge, with the termination -ard ; in reference to the white mark borne like 

 a badge on the animal's forehead. He gives a number of reasons why this 

 derivation should be accepted, the chief of them being that another name of 

 the badger, " Bauson," obviously refers to its piebald face. — Henry T. 

 Wharton (39, St. George's Road, Kilburn). 



The Badger in Buckinghamshire. — In the article on this animal 

 which appeared in ' The Zoologist' for January, no mention is made of its 

 occurrence in the county of Buckingham. There are several of its strong- 

 holds in this neighbourhood. On one farm about four miles from this town 

 seven Badgers were captured in one night. On another farm Badgers have 

 taken possession of a piece of ground which is of a loose stony nature, and 

 are extremely difficult to get at with dogs, for upon an alarm the animal 

 within its burrow immediately begins to block up the passage with loose 



