Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/333

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MAMMALIA OF GREAT YARMOUTH.
301

wind was north-east, and many Ducks in the country,[1] he sometimes carried home eight or nine fowl of various kinds in the same morning." How he evaded scrutiny and interference, and picked up his trail after each home-going, are interesting matters of detail. An animal of the same breed was kept in the seventies by the late G. Overend, a famous collector of local birds; it exhibited some remarkable traits, fetching newspapers, and exchanging them with various friends of his master, and other notable things. It is still fairly common in the locality, but has been superseded by the Spaniel by the very few gunners who follow up shooting along the "walls" and on the marshes.

With regard to the species mentioned in the following list, our knowledge of the Chiroptera may be mentioned as yet being in an unsatisfactory state; but few sportsmen, save novices, ever trouble themselves to bring down such mean game; and, as their habits make observation an awkward and at best but a casual matter, one or two other species than those enumerated may really be frequenting the neighbourhood, but are as yet awaiting detection. Amongst the Insectivora, the "Oared Shrew"[2] has not yet been observed in the locality. All the Mustelidæ, with the exception perhaps of the Weasel, are yearly becoming scarcer. The Phocidæ, on the other hand, are more frequent in their visits. Opportunities for observing the Cetacea have always been and will remain difficult and casual. The Rodentia have become restricted, or have increased, according to the circumstances which affect their natural economy.

At present the list comprises the following:—1. Chiroptera (four).2. Insectivora (four).3. Carnivora and Pinnipedia (ten).4. Rodentia (twelve).5. Cetacea (eight). Of these two carnivores and one rodent are now extinct, one rodent may be referred to as a subspecies, and one Phocidæ as doubtful.

The first list of Yarmouth Mammalia was published in 1834 by the Brothers Paget, in their 'Sketch of the Natural History of Great Yarmouth,' a much less perfect one being published in 1863, by Dr. B.T. Lowne, under the title of 'A Popular Natural

  1. These good old gunning times are now but matters of tradition, the drainage of the marshes, increased traffic, and greater scarcity of wildfowl considerably accounting for the local decrease.
  2. A variety of Crossopus fodiens.