NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 223
Badgers were caught on May 4th, at Stanway Hall, about four miles from
Colchester, by the gamekeeper there, who had a few days previously captured,
and unfortunately destroyed, the mother. These animals are not so rare in Essex
as they were at one time, for it is not so long since several were caught near
Braintree, and there are reasons for supposing that Badgers have continuously
existed at Stanway and the neighbourhood. I purpose keeping these in their
native county by setting them at liberty in Epping Forest, if it meets with the
approval of the Verderers, to whom I have offered them. They would not have
been disturbed at Stanway had not the owner of the Hall, who is an enthusiastic
foxhunter, been advised to get rid of them for fear of their injuring the foxes."
A White Hare at Laindon.—Mr. Samuel Hunt, of Southend, records in
"The Zoologist" (vol. xix., p. 375), the occurrence on Manning Farm, about
21/2 miles from Laindon, during the last week of September, 1895, of a pure White
Hare, but with eyes of the ordinary colour. The Rev. J. Conway Walter, of
Langton Rectory, Horncastle, communicated to "The Standard" some interesting
particulars of Albino and pied Hares in his neighbourhood which are worth
putting on permanent record. He writes: "In 'The Standard' of 22nd of
September, you mention that a 'true Albino specimen of the Common Hare
(Lepus timidus) had just been presented to the Zoological Gardens, and that
'such specimens are extremely rare.' In this neighbourhood they are not so rare
as is generally the case. Some thirty years ago an Albino Hare was frequently
seen in my parish of Langton by Horncastle. Naturalists and others competed
keenly for the prize, and it was eventually shot in the adjoining parish. No other
case was recorded for several years, although I have myself shot hares with white
face, white forelegs, and so forth. Three years ago, however, the principle of
heredity seems to have reasserted itself, and several specimens were announced as
being seen. A tenant farmer near here, two years ago, secured a half-grown
specimen, which was caught while his corn was being cut, and he still has it
stuffed. Last year he also caught two Albino leverets, which were given to 'the
young Squire,' the owner of the estate, who reared them as pets in confinement.
" Our 'Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union,' of which I am a member, last year
established a museum in the Castle at Lincoln, intended especially for objects of
natural history connected with the county. I had recently the pleasure of
presenting to this museum a very fine specimen of the pink-eyed Albino Hare,
caught in the parish. Two small Albino leverets were also given to me, one of
them killed by a weasel, the other by a boy ; and these three are now being
stuffed in one group for the above-named museum. A young man in the neighbour-
hood, given to naturalist pursuits, is also rearing a specimen in confinement,
hoping to breed from it.
" These several cases tend to show that, in this locality at least, this variety
of the Hare may be considered permanent. It is to be hoped that collectors may
be merciful and not exterminate the interesting family. It may, perhaps, interest
your readers to know that I have a fine specimen of a cross between Hare and
Rabbit, of which I have shot at different times three. These are really rare."
Albino Weasel at Colchester.—Mr. Miller Christy, F.L.S., writing to
"The Zoologist" (vol. xix., p. 19), and referring to the enumeration of Albino
specimens of the Common Weasel which have hitherto been recorded, amounting
to only seven or eight in the whole country ("Zool." xviii., p. 449), says : "I may
mention that some time since Mr. J. Pettitt, taxidermist, of Colchester, showed
me a specimen which had been killed near that place about December 20th, 1892.