284 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID.E. 



to some ludicrous scenes. The badger, though far from formi- 

 dable, is too well provided with teeth to be handled without 

 gloves ; and knowing that his only safety when attacked is in 

 plunging to the bottom of his burrow, his pig-headed pertinacity 

 in endeavoring to reach it is such, that an unarmed man finds 

 it difficult to stop him. 



" Mr. Anderson, who gave me most efficient aid in collecting, 

 came one day suddenly upon a badger at some distance from 

 his hole; of course he made for it with all possible speed, which, 

 it should be said, is not so great but that a man could easily 

 overtake one. Mr. Anderson at first endeavored to trample 

 him under his horse's feet, but, though he ran over him several 

 times, the badger avoided the hoofs and received no injury. 

 As we had not then obtained a specimen, he was particularly 

 anxious to secure this one, so he drove his horse before him, and 

 brought him to bay. He then jumped off, hoping, by means of 

 kicks and his sheath-knife, to dispatch him ; but the badger, 

 instead of retreating, came at him open-mouthed, and with 

 such a show of ferocity that he was fain to let him pass, trust- 

 ing to find a club to kill him with ; but in that region clubs do 

 not 'grow on every bush,' for most of the bushes are sage 

 bushes, and before he found any sort of stick the badger had 

 reached his hole. Two days after I became indebted to him 

 for a fine specimen, which a long rifleshot had dropped at the 

 entrance of his burrow. Another, while leisurely following an 

 old trail, apparently on a journey, was overtaken and killed 

 by some of our soldiers. Seeing, perhaps the hopelessness of 

 the attempt, he made no effort to escape, but a vigorous defence, 

 and was only dispatched with some difficulty." 



Sir John Kichardson narrates an incident which further illus- 

 trates the prowess of this stubborn, sullen customer. " The 

 strength of its fore-feet and claws is so great," says he, " that 

 one which had insinuated only its head and shoulders into a 

 hole, resisted the utmost endeavors of two stout young men 

 who endeavored to drag it out by the hind legs and tail, until 

 one of them fired the contents of his fowling-piece into its 

 body." This is quite a match for the stories told of the Arma- 

 dillo itself. " Early in the spring, however," the author con- 

 tinues, ^' when they first begin to stir abroad, they may easily 

 be caught by pouring water into their holes ; for the ground 

 being frozen at that period, the water does not escape through 



