NOTES AND QUERIES. 221 



of arrival of spring migrants for 1893. These dates, with one 

 specified exception, refer to the immediate neighbourhood of 

 Lilford :— March 20th, Chiffchaff; 21st, Wheatear ; 27th, Bank 

 Martin. April 1st, Willow Wren ; 2nd, Bay's Wagtail; 5th, Bed- 

 start and Blackcap; 7th, Nightingale, Swallow, and Tree Pipit; 

 11th, Whimbrel and Bedshank ; 14th, Sedge Warbler, Cuckoo, 

 and Wryneck; 16th, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat; 17th, 

 Grasshopper Warbler (Thornhaugh, near Wansford) ; 18th, Corn 

 Crake ; 19th, Wood Warbler and Whinchat ; 22nd, Beed Warbler 

 and Turtle Dove; 26th, Garden Warbler; 27th, Bed-backed 

 Shrike and Spotted Flycatcher. May 1st, House Martin; 13th, 

 Swift and Common Sandpiper ; 28th, Hobby. 



NOTES AND QUERIES, 



MAMMALIA. 



The Badger: its period of Gestation. — The following account of the 

 breeding of Badgers may throw some light on the subject of their period 

 of gestation. In the beginning of April, 1880, we dug out three Badger 

 cubs in Kent. They were then about the size of Wild Babbits. They 

 became very tame, and would follow us about anywhere, even along the 

 roads, but always resented being picked up, although they would climb 

 into our laps. They were fed on rabbits, birds, biscuit, and ate enormous 

 quantities of Wasp-grubs, eating the combs as well as the grubs. They 

 used also to procure numerous beetles and worms for themselves. 

 Towards the end of August of the same year we moved them to my 

 present home in Hampshire. By that time they had greatly grown and 

 were fine Badgers, the three together weighing 39 lbs. ; one of them being 

 much smaller than the other two. They were temporarily placed in a 

 pigsty, but soon made their escape, and were lost for some days, when we 

 discovered that they had taken up their abode in a wood-lodge that was 

 filled with wood and faggots. They used to come out every evening to 

 feed with the dogs, and would run at them and try to knock them over by 

 putting their noses under them and lifting them up, but never tried to bite. 

 At night they wandered far away, but would come when I called them from 

 a long distance and put their paws on my knees ; and on one occasion one 

 of them, without any provocation, quietly gave my knee a good nip. 

 During the end of September and the whole of October they were 

 exceedingly noisy; one of them was continually chattering, and another 

 uttering a loud drawling cry, which I have heard before in the autumn 



