28 



FIELD NOTES. 



MAMMALS. 



Otter near Clapham. — During May last a young; dog Otter {L/tfra 

 hifra) was trapped by a keeper near Crina Bottom Farm. These animals 

 are now fairly numerous along; the secluded reaches of the Wenning- and its 

 tributary streams. — J. Walling Handby, Austwick, iith November 1902. 



Albino Rabbit near liorncastle. — An albino wild Rabbit [Lepus 

 cuiiicitUis] has recently been seen near here, in the parish of FuUetby, 

 near Horncastle, in a warren. Black wild Rabbits are by no means 

 uncommon. I have one on my own ground at the present time, but a white 

 variety is very uncommon in mv own experience and that of many others. — 

 J. CoNW.\Y Walter, Langton Rector\', Horncastle, 13th September 1902. 



Otters in North Lincolnshire. —Two Otters {Lzitra Intra) have 

 recently been noticed at Barrow Haven, North Lincolnshire. One has 

 already been captured, and is ' preserved at the inn.'— T. S. 



Badgers at Sapperton, etc., Line. S. — There are at the present 

 time some Badgers (Mc/es )iult's) in a small plantation on Mr. H. M. Foster's 

 farm at Sapperton, Div. 15. My brother-in-law tells me that there have 

 been Badgers in that plantation for many years. 



A Badger was caught last spring in a trap which a keeper had set for 

 vermin, on Mr. Grayson's farm at Lenton, Div. 15. — S. C. Stow, Court 

 Leys, Brandon, Grantham, 20th September 1902. 



Cottingham Churchwardens' Accounts. — Mr. F. E. Johnson, 

 F. C.S., has recently been examining the Churchwardens' Accounts at 

 Cottingham, near Hull, and has kindly supplied us with the following 

 entries relating to ' vermin ' : — 



5. d. 



1660. Item. To Christopher Wilson for a fox head ... ... i o 



(This individual continues to catch foxes.) 

 Item. For getting Moales in the Ings and Common at 



the rate of 2d. dozen.. ... ...50 



(This entry occurs j'ear after year.) 



1664. Item. Paid for fox head ... ... ... i o 



,, Paid to Daniel Norwood for seven foumards' 



heads ... ... .. ... ... ... •■• 2 4 



,. Paid to Peter Newlove and Adam Smallwood for 



5 badgers' and 10 foumards' heads ... ... 6 o 



,, Paid to William EUerton for 3 foumards' heads ... i o 



Paid to Thomas Wilson for 8 foumards' heads . 2 8 



,, Paid to Thomas Dobbee for badger's head ... o 6 



The above is a sample of the yearly entries, and Mr. Johnson points out 

 that there is a remarkable similarity in payments over two centuries. 



Some idea of the value of money at the time may be gathered from the 

 fact that 6s. was paid for a month's labour on the common lands of the 

 church. 



There is mention made of ' greyheads ' in the accounts ; query, do these 

 refer to badgers ? 



A curious point is that after the extermination of ' foumards ' and 

 badgers, the payments for vermin are entirely on account of sparrows. The 

 reason for this is perhaps obvious. 



Naturalist, 



