NOTES AND QUERIES. 253 



containing four and two eggs respectively, perfectly white — a 

 variety which is identical with the texture of the Kingfisher's 

 egg. The nest of four eggs was quite good, but the other had 

 been deserted. 



NOTES AND QUERIES 



MAMMALIA. 



Otters and Badgers near Colchester. — I have within the last month 

 purchased a young Otter and two half-grown Badgers, captured within five 

 miles of this town. The Otter, rather under half-grown, was caught by a dog 

 in a small brook at Alresford, Essex, and was offered me for sale May 23rd, 

 the day it was captured. As it did not seem much injured I purchased it 

 and sent it to the Zoological Gardens, fearing if I set it at liberty it might 

 not be old enough to get its own living. The Otter was for many years 

 very rare in Essex, but during the last few years would appear to be 

 increasing in all our rivers, and is now found, as in the days when Daniell 

 wrote his ' Rural Sports,' in the reed-beds of our marshes and in the 

 sedges bordering our fleets, and I frequently at night hear its whistle in 

 the river Colne, where it passes through this town. In this river it is 

 becoming fairly common, and as it is admirably adapted for hunting with 

 hounds, a visit from a pack would afford us a new sport, and I feel sure 

 would give us great assistance in our endeavours to preserve the race. The 

 Badgers were caught on May 4th at Stan way Hall, about four miles from 

 Colchester, by the gamekeeper there, who had a few days previously captured 

 and unfortunately destroyed their mother. These animals are not so rare 

 in Essex as they were at one time, for it is not so long since several were 

 caught near Braintree, and there are reasons for supposing that Badgers 

 have continuously existed at Stan way and the neighbourhood. I purpose 

 keeping these in their native county by setting them at liberty in Epping 

 Forest, if it meets with the approval of the Verderers, to whom I have 

 offered them. They would not have been disturbed at Stanway, had not the 

 owner of the Hall, who is an enthusiastic foxhunter, been advised to get rid 

 of them for fear of their injuring the foxes. — Henry Laver (Colchester). 



Habits of the Stoat. — What is the number of young usually produced 

 at a birth ? Tn the case of its near relation, the Ferret, it is known to 

 differ considerably ; but domestication changes the nature and constitution 

 of creatures, and alters their economy materially. The few books to which 

 I have had access give the number of young as four or five, and occasionally 

 six, and although this may be the usual average, yet I have known several 

 instances where the number has been above six. I recollect, in one of ray 



