^^ BADGER. Class I. 



its teeth and thofe of carnivorous animals. Nature 

 denied the badger the fpeed and adlivity requifite to 

 efcape its enemies, fo hach fupplied it with fuch 

 weapons of offence that fcarce any creature would 

 hazard the attacking it ; few animals defend them- 

 felves better, or bite harder: when purfued, they 

 foon come to bay, and fight with great obftinacy. 

 It is an indolent animal, and fleeps much, for 

 which reafon it is always found very fat. It bur> 

 rows under ground, like the fox ; and forms feve- 

 ral different apartments, though with only one en- 

 trance, carrying in its mouth grafs in order to 

 form a bed for its young. It confines itfelf to 

 its hole during the whole day, feeding only at 

 night : it is ib cleanly an animal as never to obey 

 the calls of nature in its apartments ; but goes out 

 for that purpofe: it breeds only once in a year, 

 and brings four or five at a time. 



Descrip. ^ The ufuallength of the badger, is two feet fix 

 inches, exdufive of the tail, which is but fix inches 

 long : the weight fifteen pounds. The eyes are ve- 

 ry fmall : the ears Ihort and rounded : the neck 

 iliort: the whole fhape of the body clumfy and 

 thick •, which being covered with long coarfe hairs 

 like briflles, m.akes it appear (fill more aukward. 

 The mouth is furninicd with fix cutting tc^th and 

 two canine teeth in each jaw; the lower has five 

 grinders on each fide, the upper five -, m all thirty 

 four. 



The nofe, chin, lower fidts of the cheeks, ancl 



the 



