1900-1901.] Badgers. 141 
between those who believe that the phenomena of life may 
be explained by chemistry and physics and those who do not 
regard these as. sufficient, the materialists and the vitalists, 
old or new, might do well to remember the telephonograph 
as a thought model: it seems to present the problem in a 
still simpler form. 
Il—BADGERS. 
By Mr TOM SPEEDY. 
(Read Nov. 28, 1900.) 
As most of you are aware, I am a native of the historic 
Borderland—a descendant of the Border thieves, who 
“ Stole the beeves that made their broth, 
From England and from Scotland both.” 
At an early age the habits of the birds and beasts that 
peopled the district were to me subjects of intense interest. 
Inheriting the hunting spirit of my ancestors, to engage in a 
badger, a fox, or an otter hunt was in my boyish imagination 
the chief end of man. My curiosity was whetted by an 
old gamekeeper rehearsing to me the stories of his adven- 
tures with the wild beasts referred to. He was not at that 
time old, but in my youthful arrogance I imagined every one 
old when the slightest indication of grey hairs made their 
appearance. I have somewhat changed my mind on that 
subject now. This man, Bassett by name, was a native of 
Sussex, but was taken to Morayshire by the late Charles St 
John, with whom he acted as keeper. Subsequently he was 
with Sir William Gordon Cumming, grandfather of the present 
baronet of Altyre and Gordonstoun, and eventually came to 
Ladykirk, where he acted for forty years as head-keeper on 
that estate. About the time referred to Mr St John’s book on 
“Wild Sports in the Highlands’ made its appearance, and was 
the first book on natural history I ever read. Even to this 
