344 Quadrupeds. 



swallows, too numerous for me to count, commenced an attack. Many were the turns 

 and returns ; many, but unsuccessful, the attempts to inflict a blow ; the bat was evi- 

 dently undaunted, though outnumbered and overpowered ; and it was a considerable 

 time before it was compelled to resign the elevated region to which it had so persever- 

 ingly aspired. — Jonathan Couch ; Polperro, September 27, 1843. 



Note on the Badger. That singular animal, the badger, is not uncommon with us, 

 breeding in some of our coverts every season. About the month of March these ani- 

 mals begin to prepare the earths for the reception of their young, by collecting a great 

 quantity of coarse moss, which they heap up in regular rows throughout the wood, and 

 when thoroughly dried, carry it to their burrows. This singular practice, which, to 

 my knowledge, has never been noticed by any author, is called by the country people 

 the " badgers' hay-making." They breed twice in the year, bringing forth five or six 

 young ones in each litter. — Wm. Hewett ; East Ilsley ; October^ 1843. 



Note on the Otter. Otters, being much persecuted, are become scarce animals in 

 these parts. Some years ago, one of these curious creatures laid up her young in an 

 old pollard tree, situated close to the Thames, near Goring. This was a very secure 

 place, for the tree was hollow throughout, so that the young were laid upon the bare 

 ground, the old one approaching through one of the principal roots, which was com- 

 pletely hollow from extreme age. Secure however as was this retreat, the female otter 

 and her young ones were captured and taken about as a show. — Id. 



Note on the keen scent of the Stoat. I observe in your No. for July (Zool. 213), a 

 notice of the keen scent of the stoat {Mustela Erminea) in pursuit of a hare. A few 

 weeks ago, as I was walking along by the side of a large wood, I saw a rabbit come 

 out of the wood, evidently in much trepidation, yet not making any great effort to es- 

 cape. Upon seeing me, however, it darted across the road, and went under a gate in 

 the opposite side. Suspecting from its manner the cause of its alarm, I stood still, 

 and very soon saw a stoat following exactly upon the track of the rabbit. When it 

 came to the spot where the rabbit had started forward upon seeing me, it lost the scent, 

 and immediately tried up the side of the road, then in the opposite direction, and at 

 last it crossed the road, very soon hit the scent, and went away at full speed, with its 

 tail rather elevated, and I have no doubt very soon captured its prey, although the 

 standing corn prevented my witnessing it. It is now some years since I was present 

 at a scene that amused me very much. I was passing one end of a large barn, which 

 was nearly full of corn, when my attention was drawn to a noise, as of some animal 

 working its way up the boards in the inside of the barn. Very soon I saw a stoat ap- 

 pear at the loop (a name given to a space left in the boarding at the end, of a barn, for 

 the purpose of unloading the corn into it, and shutting when not in use, with a door, 

 and generally placed at a considerable height, in this instance more than sixteen feet). 

 The stoat descended without hesitation, falling upon the ground with some force, and 

 escaped into a hedge close by. Almost immediately, another stoat appeared at the 

 loop, and finding that its opponent had made its exit, likewise came down in a simi- 

 lar manner, and taking the scent of its predecessor, followed it and very soon overtook 

 it, when a desperate battle took place, in which the first was overpowered, and with 

 some difficulty got away. While this was going forward, a third stoat appeared at the 

 loop, and after looking about for some time, retired into the barn. As it was early in 

 the spring, I concluded that the two combatants were males, contending for the pos- 

 session of the third, probably a female. — /. Atkinson ; Layer Marney Rectory^ near 

 Kelvedonj Essex, August 18, 1843. 



