Quadrupeds, 2407 



Frequent Occurrence of the Badger, Otter and Polecat in Dorsetshire. — It would 

 appear, from Mr.. Newton's communication (Zool. 2379), that it is a rare occurrence 

 to meet with the badger, otter and polecat in Suffolk : now the occurrence of these 

 animals in the county of Dorset is anything but rare. I have in my possession a very 

 fine polecat (Mustela putorius), caught in a trap in our coppice wood, where, at times, 

 they are rather too plentiful ; yet I cannot record any serious mischief committed by 

 them to the game. The keepers frequently meet with them in their traps. I have 

 also one of the finest otters (Lutra vulgaris) I have ever seen: it was caught on the 

 bank of the river Stour, at Spettisbury, a small village near Blandford : it measures 

 from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail 4 feet 1\ inches. Nor is this the only 

 one ; for within the last three years I have seen four others taken by different indivi- 

 duals within one mile of the above-named village, not quite so large as the one I 

 possess. Of the badger (Meles taxus) I only know of two having been caught ; but I 

 believe in some parts they are to be met with at times plentifully, — at least, according 

 to the information of a sporting friend of mine in this neighbourhood, who has under- 

 taken to procure me a specimen. While on the subject of badgers, I am happy to 

 state that the barbarous sport of " badger-baiting," amongst the rustic population, is 

 now at an end, — no doubt from the spread of an useful education ; and I hope the day 

 is not far distant when " Societies for Killing Sparrows " and other small birds will 

 be equally rare, through the same laudable means. — J. Mcintosh; Milton Abbey, 

 March 8, 1849. 



Cats and Nemophila insignis. — Allow me to confirm, from repeated observations 

 in England and Scotland, the truth of Mr. Bull's statement (Zool. 2289), of the 

 fondness of cats for this plant. A lady friend of mine, in Scotland, had several 

 patches of Nemophila in her garden, and in boxes for the windows. She never could 

 get this plant to flourish ; for as soon as it was about an inch high her favourite cat 

 invariably selected the plant to bask on, and would on fine days have her kittens 

 with her, even when small sticks had been placed to protect the plant from her. I 

 find that the Abbey cats are equally as fond, if they could have their own way, — for 

 at the sight or hearing of one of the men they retreat in quick time. — Id. 



Occurrence of the Polecat at Udimore. — Seeing two notices in the ' Zoologist ' of 

 polecats being killed, I send this notice of one, which was shot in October last, at the 

 above place, by the gamekeeper of F. Langford, Esq. — J. B. Ellman ; Rye, March 

 4, 1849. 



Further Note as to Pied Stoats. — Mr. Martin, the excellent bird-preserver here, 

 informs me that stoats do not always (as I asserted) become white by the beginning 

 of March, as he has one perfectly white killed in December. In the specimens I 

 have seen I observe the posterior quarter changes first, and the head is the last part 

 to retain its original colour. — Id. 



A wonderful New Animal. — " M. Antoine d'Abbadie, writing to us (the ' Athenaeum ') 

 from Cairo, gives the following account of an animal new to European science, which 

 account he received from Baron Von Muller, who had recently returned to that city 

 from Kordofan : — ' At Melpes, in Kordofan,' said the baron, ' where I stopped some 

 time to make my collections, I met, on the 17th of April, 1848, a man who was in 

 the habit of selling to me specimens of animals. One day he asked me if I wished 

 also for an A'nasa, which he described thus : — It is of the size of a small donkey, has 

 a thick body and thin bones, coarse hair, and tail like a boar. It has a long horn on 

 its forehead, and lets it hang when alone, but erects it immediately on seeing an 



