78 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



Search should be made for the "earth," or burrow, on the sunny 

 side of a wooded hill, and if the inside of the home could be 

 examined it would be found to consist of a sort of general living- 

 room, with vertical passages leading upwards for the purpose of 

 ventilation, and several tubular passages from twenty-five to thirty 

 feet long. The central chamber is snugly lined with moss and 

 leaves, and the whole homestead is a model of neatness. Indeed, 

 the Badger is not only a tidy animal, but is also exceedingly clean 

 in its habits, setting a brilliant example to the Fox in this respect. 

 It will even search for parasites on the body of its children. 



The structure of the creature at once reveals its adaptability for 

 the life it leads, for the legs are short and powerful (Fig. 63), the 

 sharp broad claws of the fore-feet serve as shovels, whilst the hind- 

 legs enable the soil which has been excavated to be thrown back- 

 wards. The sturdy body also comes into action when a large heap 

 of soil requires removal, for Brock contrives to get his back against 

 it, obtains a firm hold on the ground by means of the powerful feet, 

 and then all is plain sailing. The whole build of the beast is worth 

 noticing, for the short bristly hairs with which the body is clothed 

 lie flat on the skin so that no dirt can adhere to, or accumulate 

 between, them. 



These hairs are earthy-grey in colour on the back, and very often 

 harmonize in a remarkable way with the environment, whilst the 

 black and white markings on the head and elsewhere, although 

 well displayed in Fig. 63, are very inconspicuous at nightfall. The 

 tail is very short, there being no necessity for the beast to possess 

 a long appendage. 



That this is not a particularly active animal will soon be apparent, 

 but it can, if occasion demands it, amble along at a tremendous 

 speed. It is not adapted for jumping or leaping, and, as a con- 

 sequence, we find that it is not able to prey to any extent upon quick- 

 moving creatures like many of its relatives. If we examine the teeth 

 this fact will be plainly shown, for the molars have broad crowns and 

 blunt tubercles, and are thus more adapted for crushing than tearing. 

 The food is made up of fruit, roots, various kinds of insects, earth- 

 worms, snails, small rodents, lizards, toads and snakes. It will 

 also eat birds' eggs, young rabbits and leverets. 



In its search for food it is largely aided by its long, broad and 

 sharp claws, which enable it to dig for larvae and worms; by the 

 tapered snout which assists it in foraging under leaves, and by the 



