146 Badgers. [Sess. : 
The presence of badgers in a district is soon discovered 4 
by the wasp-bikes being dug up, the comb scattered all 
round, and the young wasps picked out. There is no mis- 
taking their footprints, which resemble those of a miniature — 
bear. They appear to be omnivorous, eating anything that — 
comes in the way. I have trapped them with eggs as a bait, : 
and also with part of a rabbit. I have noticed half-chewed 
wheat in their droppings, and I have found that in confine- ‘ 
ment they become exceedingly fat on dog’s ordinary food. 
In former times the badger was subjected to the most — 
horrible cruelty. Drawing the badger along with cockfighting ~ 
used to be favourite pastimes even well on in the nineteenth — 
century. “Drawing the badger” never failed to gather a 
crowd, a badger frequently being kept for the purpose at low — 
public-houses. This cruel sport, however, was prohibited by — 
Act of Parliament in 1850. Yet long after the passing of the — 
Act it was now and then indulged in by the lower stratum of — 
society in rural districts. I have an indistinct recollection, 
from this distance of time, of a band of travelling gipsies — 
camping on a disused road, and having with them a badger in ~ 
a box for carrying on this illegal sport. My remembrance of — 
the box is that it was six or seven feet long and about — 
eighteen inches in width and depth. A number of people — 
brought their dogs to “draw the badger.” Not one of them 
could accomplish it, and those game enough to try generally 
came out with ugly cuts about the head. Some of the 
terriers got hold of the badger, and for a time it looked as if 
they would fetch him out; but in every case they failed, and — 
the reason was obvious. Being largely endowed with curiosity, — 
I got on my knees and looked into the box. I saw the white 
stripes of the badger’s face and his small eyes like fiery orbs, } 
no doubt expecting an encounter from another adversary. 
For half the length of the box next the badger spars were — 
nailed across the bottom, so that he could get a hold for his 
feet, and consequently it required considerable strength to 
dislodge him. On the other hand, it was alleged that the 
bottom near the entrance had been rubbed over with soft-soap, 
so that once past the spars, the slippery floor rendered — 
“drawing the badger” impossible. I was not old enough to — 
take notice of the stakes, but I remember money changed — 
ne SF 
Ch Saice | 
