NOTES AND QUERIES.
MAMMALIA.
carnivora.
Polecat in Suffolk.—On Dec. 21st I received as a present a fine specimen of Mustela putorius, killed a day or two previously in or near Mildenhall Fen, which is in the north-western corner of this county. The fur was in beautiful order, and when skinning and setting up the animal I was surprised at the almost entire absence of any unpleasant smell. In our neighbourhood these animals are now very rare, but they still exist in some numbers in the fen country, where the voles, frogs, and eels provide them with an abundance of prey. 'The Zoologist' for 1888 (pp. 183, 221) contains some interesting information on the subject of Suffolk Polecats.—Julian G. Tuck (Tostock Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk).
rodentia.
The Indian Hispid Hare (Lepus hispidus).—This somewhat rare and but little known rodent is fairly plentiful in the Dooars, along the base of the Bhootan Hills, and I have seen them near the banks of the Brahmapootra river below Dhoobri. Its general colour is dark or iron grey, with an unbrowned ruddy tinge. Limbs and body shaded externally with black, the tail rubescent both above and below; the inner fur short, soft, downy, of an ashy hue; the outer longer, hispid, harsh, and bristly, some of the hairs annulated, black and yellow-brown, others pure black and longer, the wholly black hairs more abundant than the lighter ones. The ears are very short and broad. Length: head and body, 19½ in.; tail, 2⅛ in.; ear, 2¾ in. This curious Hare is of a very dark hue, of a heavy make, and Rabbit-like appearance, with small eyes, short and stout limbs, and short whiskers. It is often called the Black Rabbit at Dacca, and the shikaries declare that at times it burrows like the ordinary "bunny." It frequents jungly places, long grass, bamboos, &c, shunning observation, and, from its retired habits is very difficult to observe and obtain. The flesh is white. I generally shot one or two each trip that I made into the Dooars, and occasionally they were for sale in the bazaar in Dacca, having been trapped by native shikaries. The natives assert that it brings forth as many as six at birth. Like the Rabbit, when this Hare is shot its bladder should be emptied at
