56 COMMON BADGER. 



tail is very short. The fur is long, soft, and shaggy ; 

 and generally of a yellowish or dirty white colour. The 

 tip of the nose, and the extremity of the claws, are per- 

 fectly black. 



Common Badger. Although the Badger is by no 

 means an uncommon animal in several of the less cul- 

 tivated parts of England, yet, from the circumstance of 

 its issuing forth only during the night, it is but seldom 

 seen. In all its habits it is solitary and indolent; 

 and the greater part of its life seems passed in sleep. 

 Its food is supposed chiefly to consist of roots, plants, 

 insects, and worms. From the shape of its nose, it 

 is evident that the Badger occasionally turns up the 

 ground in search of food. Its den is generally at a con- 

 siderable depth in the earth. So great are the strength 

 and courage of this animal, that he is able to defend 

 himself against the attack of dogs which considerably 

 exceed him in size. The skin of the Badger is useful 

 in various ways : the hair is made into brushes : and the 

 flesh is, in many countries, esteemed an excellent food. 

 The hams are said to be even superior in flavour to those 

 of the hog. 



The length of the body is generally about thirty inches, 

 and of the tail six inches. The head is shaped somewhat 

 like that of a dog. The eyes are small, and the ears 

 short and rounded. The legs are peculiarly short and 

 strong, and the claws of the fore feet are much longer 

 than the others. On each side of the head there is a long 

 black mark, which includes both the eye and ear. The 

 general colour of the upper part of the body is grey. The 

 throat and all the under parts, as well as the legs and 

 feet, are black. 



