236 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



MAMMALIA. 



Fecundity of the domestic Cat. — Our Cat is half Chinchilla half 

 Persian, and she came to us just able to lap milk as a kitten. Her 

 kitten record since then has been carefully noted in a book, copy of 

 which is appended. Is not a litter of eight rather unusual ? This 

 was her last performance. All her progeny have been healthy and 

 vigorous, and most have been light grey like herself : — 



A Cat's Progeny. 



Number in 





Number in 



each litter. 





each litter. 



1909, April 17 



5 



1911, Aug. 10 ... 



... 4 



July 23 



6 



1912, March 31 ... 



... 5 



Date not exactly 





July 26 



... 5 



recorded in Sept. 



3 



Nov. 30 ... 



... 4 



Dec. 1 



4 



1913, March 4 ... 



... 5 



1910, Feb 



7 



May 19 ... 



... 4 



May 23 



5 



Sept. 2 



... 6 



Aug. 10 



4 



1911, Jan. 29 



... 4 



Oct. 27 born dead 



2 



May 15 



... 8 



Nov. 1 



2 





— 



1911, March 31 



5 



T 



Dtal 88 



— Ed wd. N. Mexxell (The Hostel, Shirley, Croydon). 



The Decrease of the Squirrel. — I wish to report that on May 8th, 

 while with some friends near Ambresbury Banks in the northern 

 part of Epping Forest, a good view was secured of a Common 

 Squirrel. I missed it, but my wife, who is well acquainted with 

 both species, was confident that it was the British and not the 

 American species ; indeed, a lady of the party remarked on its rich 

 red colour. I cannot remember ever seeing a Squirrel in Essex, and 

 certainly not within the past three years, when its absence first 

 began to interest me. Dr. Layer, writing on the Mammalia of Essex 

 in 1881 (' Epping Forest Transactions,' p. 169), stated that "it occurs 

 in all parts of the county in suitable spots — that is, where there are 

 woods " ; but I have spent a good deal of time in such localities and 



