234 -A Badger Colony in Dalmeny Park. [Sess. 



Whether it is a matter of imagination or not, it seems to me 

 that wasps have not been so plentiful in Dalmeny since the 

 badgers began to prey on them. 



Although the badgers have at various times opened new 

 burrows in different parts of the woods, they never seem to 

 have taken up their abode permanently away from the original 

 burrow. On the opposite sides of the gulley from where 

 this earth is, there are at present two holes which seem to be 

 jointly inhabited by foxes and badgers, as far as can be seen 

 from the footmarks. 



The badger is known to leave the policies, as they have a 

 well-beaten track underneath a gate leading from one of the 

 grass-parks on to the Queensferry Road. They are never 

 seen during the day. At night, however, they are sometimes 

 encountered by a coachman who lives in a cottage situated in 

 a lonely part of the woods in that quarter. From his ex- 

 perience badgers do not seem to have a very keen sense of 

 sight or smell, as if they happen to be first noticed and the 

 person stands quiet they will come straight on, much in the 

 same manner as a hare will do. 



Some instances have occurred of rabbit-traps being carried 

 away by badgers caught in them. In opening a drain once, 

 the skeleton of a badger with a rusty iron trap still fixed on 

 the bones of one of its legs showed how it had come to its 

 death. A young cub was once caught, and after being kept 

 for some time was liberated. Another time a full - grown 

 badger was caught, and its foot had to be cut off before being 

 set free. The marks of the stump leg can occasionally be 

 seen in the soft sand at the mouth of the burrow, showing 

 that the animal is still alive and well. 



On the 21st December 1896 a young badger was discovered 

 in an outhouse at the Leuchold, the residence of the estates 

 factor. The coachman had noticed the footprints in the snow 

 for some distance, and on going into this shed was surprised 

 to see a badger lying curled up asleep among the straw. He 

 was a bit frightened at first, but soon saw that something 

 ailed the animal, and he went and got some milk for it. The 

 badger did not exhibit any fear, but licked up the milk, and 

 seemed to revive after it. It afterwards partook of any food 

 its custodian gave it, and would come and meet him when he 



