( 151 ) 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



MAMMALIA. 



The Distribution of the Polecat (Mustela putorius) and Yellow- 

 necked Mouse (Mus flavicollis) in Essex. — Up to the first thirty- 

 years of the last century, that is, until about 1830, in many parts of 

 Essex, especially those parts bordering on the marshes, the Polecat 

 was fairly frequent — so much so that it was a common occurrence 

 in a day's sport at ferreting Eabbits to see one or two examples 

 bolted by the Ferrets, and there were very few farm labourers who 

 were not familiar with their appearance and power of emitting a 

 most fetid stench, especially when frightened or otherwise interfered 

 with. For many years they have been rare, and it would be difficult 

 now among the younger farm labourers to find one who knows any- 

 thing of their habits or appearance. They still exist in Essex, 

 although they are very rare, but no doubt Epping Forest will delay 

 their extermination, if not prevent it entirely. 



Mus flavicollis. — This, the next species Miss Pitt's enquiries refer 

 to {ante, p. 113), is in a different condition, and instead of approach- 

 ing extermination is more frequent apparently. It is only during 

 the last few years that it has been so generally recognized. It is 

 found in most parts of Essex. If a Long-tailed Field Mouse is 

 caught in a storeroom in a house in this county it is generally of 

 this species. It cannot be said the ordinary sylvaticus never enters 

 houses, for it does so at times, but much more rarely than the 

 Yellow-necked variety or species ; this being the one usually found 

 in the storeroom in the house, or in the gardener's seed-room. — 

 Henry Laver (Colchester). 



Distribution of the Polecat (' Zoologist,' p. 113). — Bedfordshire. — 

 The numerous payments for these vermin that are given in the 

 "Churchwardens' Accounts" of so many parishes show that the 

 Polecat was only too common throughout the county up till at least 

 early in the nineteenth century, when the majority of such payments 

 for the destruction of vermin ceased. From such information as I have 

 been able to gather from a past generation of gamekeepers, woodmen, 

 and others, Polecats were still fairly plentiful in the county up to 

 the middle of the past century. From then onwards, probably largely 

 owing to the more extensive preservation of game, their numbers 

 have rapidly decreased, and they became extinct before the close 



