264 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



1772. £ s. d. 



March 28. for a she adder 3 4 



1776. 



1 martin cat 2 



The accounts date 1740-76. The 3 Marten-Cats herein 

 recorded are the only instances for the county that I have as yet 

 been able to obtain from the Churchwardens' Accounts. Pole- 

 cats are very numerous ; there are entries for 163, at prices 

 generally of 2d. each, but a few of those paid for from 1767 were 

 at 4d. Hedgehogs 336, at an uniform value of 2d. Sparrows are 

 included from 1755, at 2d. per dozen, and eggs Id. per dozen. 



Sandy. 

 Although the parish books date back to 1636, no payments 

 seem to have been made for destruction of any other vermin 

 than Sparrows — old, young, and eggs. The first entry appears 

 in 1804, and the payments were made with the greatest regu- 

 larity until 1860. During these years a sum of £111 12s. lid. 

 had been paid over. The largest entry for any single period 

 being 6th May, 1859, to 20th March, 1860, £5 3s. 9|d. Bate of 



payment does not appear. 



Silsoe. 



Payments for Sparrows are given from 1821-1836, in 1821 



the rate evidently being 2d. per dozen, and the following year 



onwards increased to 3d. In all, 360 dozens appear to have 



been destroyed. 



Stagsden. 



Only payments for Sparrows are included, and but four years 



occur in all. In 1831 four entries show a total of £2 12s. 7|d. ; 



1832, eight entries, £4 7s. 3£d. ; 1833, six entries, £6 13s. 6d. ; 



1834, two entries only, £1 2s. 5d. There is no entry showing 



rate of payment. 



Steppingley. 



Payments appear 1850-57, but only the total paid for the 

 previous year being entered up in the accounts at Easter. 

 No rate per dozen appears. The total amount paid being 



£15 12s. 2d. 



Studham. 



The accounts begin in 1750, but no enj;ry of payment for 

 vermin until 1819, when 3d. per dozen for Sparrows was given 

 that year ; 42^- dozen were paid for. In 1834 as many as 



