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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
large animal, was observed early one morning, by a policeman 
on duty, crossing the park belonging to Lord Mansfield, at 
Hampstead, and making for the water. It was subsequently 
seen by several other persons, some of whom, known to the writer, 
laid in wait to try and shoot it, but without success. This was 
in the spring of 1855. 
But perhaps the most extraordinary capture of an otter in 
London was that which was made in 1863. On March 25, in 
that year, as a coachman was proceeding at daybreak along 
Aberdeen Place, leading from Maida Hill to St. John’s Wood, 
he observed an otter trotting along close to the wall, and over- 
taking it, succeeded by repeated kicks with his heavy boots in 
killing it. It was then taken to Mr. Gardner, of Holborn, for 
preservation, where the writer saw it on the following day. It was 
a young animal, of very moderate dimensions; and if it had not 
escaped from confinement, its appearance in such a place can 
only be accounted for by supposing that it had come up the Canal 
to Maida Hill ; and being unwilling to keep to the water through 
the tunnel, was following its course above ground, and if un- 
molested would probably have entered the Canal again in the 
Regent’s Park. 
It is doubtful whether the squirrel was ever an inhabitant of 
the London parks, no record of its appearance there being ex- 
tant, although, from its having been met with in the woods of 
Hampstead, Highgate, and Hornsey, it is not unlikely that it 
was at one time common enough on the north side of London. 
© 
In all probability the park trees, although affording shelter 
enough to screen these little animals from observation, would 
not supply sufficient food suited to their requirements. 
During the long summer evenings, bats may not unfrequently 
be observed on the wing, not only in the parks, but even in the 
London streets. At least four species have been identified, con- 
spicuous amongst which is the great noctule — the Vespertilio 
altivolans of Gilbert White — which has frequently been ob- 
served in Kensington Gardens. We have on several occasions 
seen the pipistrelle on the wing in Oxford Street — sometimes 
quite early in the afternoon ; and we once examined a specimen 
of Natterer’s bat which was caught in Thayer Street, Manchester 
Square. The fourth species referred to is the long-eared bat, 
which, next to the pipistrelle, is perhaps the commonest species 
of all. 
From the present aspect and condition of the parks it is 
evident, as might be expected, that the majority of the existing 
fercie naturae belong to the feathered rather than to the four- 
footed tribes; and the number of birds, both resident and 
migratory, which may be detected there by a good observer is 
not a little remarkable. 
Although the days have long since gone by when kites used 
