36 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF NORWICH AND DISTRICT 
VI. 
THE ZOOLOGY OF NORFOLK 
BY 
HENRY J. HOWARD, F.L.S., F.R.M.S. 
NorFOLk is undoubtedly one of the finest counties in the kingdom for the 
zoologist. Possessing as it does a variety of physical features—sea-coast 
and salt marsh, large stretches of water known as the ‘ Broads’ with 
river systems and innumerable dykes, and also large areas known as 
‘ breckland ’—it is not surprising that it has a varied and interesting 
fauna. On the other hand, there is no real forest, and consequently many 
forest denizens, particularly insects, are wanting; however, there are 
numbers of woodlands. 
While there are several accounts of the fauna of Norfolk, the main 
sources are those contained in the Victoria County History (Norfolk), 
Mason’s History of Norfolk, but especially the vast amount of material 
contained in the Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists’ 
Society, which began to publish accounts of the fauna and flora of the 
county of Norfolk in 1871, and has continued so doing to the present time. 
I am greatly indebted to various observers upon various groups, 
especially to Mr. A. H. Patterson upon Mammals and Fishes, Mr. H. E. 
Hurrell on Polyzoa and Rotifera, and Mr. E. A. Ellis on Mollusca. 
MamMaALs. 
Carnivora.—The otter (Lutra vulgaris) is not uncommon in the Broads 
and elsewhere; shallow broads like Rockland and Barton are favourite 
haunts. 
The fox (Vulpes canis), unless protected, would not be tolerated in 
a game country; the few found in Norfolk possibly owe their origin to 
other parts of the country, or importation from abroad. 
The marten (Mustela martes). In a paper read before the Zoological 
Society of London, in June 1879, Alston showed that there was no evidence 
whatever for the existence of the true M. foina at any time in Britain, 
and that those previously met with in the first two decades of the nineteenth 
century in the county, belonged to the above species ; since then it has 
become extinct. 
The stoat or ermine (M. erminea) is a fairly common animal, and is 
found both on the rabbit warrens of Breckland and on the marshlands. 
The polecat is now a very rare animal in Norfolk and, like the previous 
species, is occasionally met with on rabbit warrens. I have not been 
able to obtain definite records within the last few years. 
The badger (Meles taxus) is now almost extinct in the county ; it is 
‘see ee eee a 
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