MAMMALS 
states that in March rgor badgers had an earth 
at Tingrith, his keeper having seen a badger 
in the woods a week previously. In the 
spring of 1891 a mother with young was dug 
out of an earth at Harrold; the female was 
preserved and is in the possession of Mr. A. 
Covington, who had received onea few years 
previously from Carlton. A young one about 
six weeks old was sent to him from Harrold 
in 1890, and two others some three months 
old and another young one from the same 
neighbourhood in 1899. In 1895 a female 
that had been obtained at Ampthill was also 
preserved by Covington, and he mentions that 
in the ‘sixties’ two live cubs were brought to 
his shop that had been taken in the south of 
the county. A male weighing 18 lb. was 
trapped 26 October 1899 on Rowney Warren, 
and a female weighing 19 lb. on 19 April 
1900 at Sutton Park. 
17. Otter. Lutra lutra, Linn. 
Bell—Lutra vulgaris. 
The otter is by no means as rare in this 
county as is generally supposed, and probably 
more plentiful than formerly. It occurs 
throughout the whole course of the Ouse and 
the Ivel, and though the animal itself is not 
often seen its tracks are to be found on the 
land adjoining these streams. In one of Mr. 
J. King’s meadows at Langford there is a 
track which has been constantly used for years. 
This track cuts off a bend of the river and 
possesses a curious feature in that the banks at 
either end have never shown any trace of 
scoring. Mr. King assures me that he has 
seen otters leap upon the bank from the im- 
petus gained in swimming. This may account 
for the difficulty experienced in trapping this 
animal. Mr. A. Covington states that he 
has mounted upwards of twenty otters that 
have been obtained locally, and Mr. J. S. 
Wright more than a dozen. A former water 
keeper at Biggleswade informed me that he 
had trapped and shot seven in that neighbour- 
hood. The following records form but a 
small proportion of the full list which might 
be given if dates and other particulars had in 
all cases been preserved: A male otter 
weighing 26 lb. was shot at Milton Mill 17 
April 1837 (Beacon and Beds Mercury). A 
young dog otter killed at its holt near Stev- 
ington church, and afterwards a female by 
Mr. Reeve’s hounds 18 May 1837 (Beds 
Mercury), On 28 December 1878 three 
young, apparenly less than a fortnight old, 
found in a nest of sedge and rushes in the 
reed beds near Castle Mill (Zoohgist). A 
female, weight 16 lb., trapped in the Ivel at 
Sandy 23 October 1879 (Field). An adult 
killed, weighing 21 lb., at Biggleswade 29 
July 1883 (Fiedd). One about a third grown, 
killed at Langford 17 December 1883, and 
an old male in the same locality 1 April 1885. 
At Beeston one of 24 lb. weight was shot 
25 December 1885 (Field). A male was 
shot at Langford 19 January 1886, another 
26 September 1887, and others 18 December 
1893 and 28 May 1895. An old one anda 
young killed at Bromham Hall on the same 
day in 1890. In January 1886 one of three 
young, about four weeks old, was killed at 
Odell ; and at the same place in February 
1895 three young were found together on an 
old wooden bridge, evidently having been dis- 
lodged by the floods. A male weighing 30 
Ib. obtained at Shefford 1894. Two young 
ones, taken below Bromham Bridge 1894, 
were reared by hand. An adult shot 10 
February 1895 on the island adjoining Bed- 
ford old baths, and two days later two young 
ones, about three weeks old, were taken from 
under the boards at the back of the bathing 
sheds. A female shot, and two of three young 
taken from a bed of rushes on the canalized 
barge-way near Cardington 30 October 1898. 
Three half grown otters were seen by the 
writer 24 December 1900 on the islands near 
Roxton Bridge, and on 26 December one of 
about the same size was flushed on the Ouse 
at Blunham. During January 1902 one was 
frequently seen disporting itself in the even- 
ing in the river close to Bedford Bridge. On 
24 January a male was caught and released 
again at Biddenham. In the same and follow- 
ing year during the months of June several 
were seen by the writer between Little Bar- 
ford and Great Barford. In the latter locality 
I found a much used holt, a large hole in the 
brickwork of the sluice at Old Mills some 
18 inches above the usual water level. It con- 
tained a quantity of dry rushes, and the edges of 
brickwork were considerably polished by the 
pads of the animals. Dr. Sprigge mentions 
that some young found at Great Barford were 
suckled by a cat. The writer has come 
across specimens with yellowish buff spots 
and blotches on the under parts. 
RODENTIA 
18, Squirrel. Sciurus leucourus, Kerr. 
Bell—Sciarus vulgaris. 
More or less abundant in the woodlands 
and well-timbered parks, and very common 
in the larger fir plantations. A variety in my 
possession obtained in November 1894 at 
141 
