FOOD OF THE BADGEE IN NORWAY. 57 



old Anglo-Saxon name of broc, and it is an interesting 

 fact that it still preserves in Norway and Denmark 

 the name of brok. 



In Norway the female brings forth from three to five 

 young ones in April. She is a good mother, but the 

 male is an indifferent father and does not trouble him- 

 self with domestic affairs. When her time is near, the 

 female comes out of her hole, and collects a bundle of 

 dry grass, which she drags to her den, and with which 

 she makes a comfortable nest. She remains with her 

 young until they are old enough to shift for themselves, 

 while she only ventures forth at night to bring back 

 birds' eggs, lizards, young rabbits, and honey, which 

 she complacently lays before her offspring, who come 

 to the mouth of the hole to feed. 



The Norwegian peasants esteem the flesh of the 

 badger, and call it delicious ; they salt and smoke 

 the hams, and eat them in a raw state. 



I have described how the cunning fox drives the 

 badger from his den, to obtain possession of it himself. 

 When this happens, the badger does not wander about 

 in idleness, but removes to no great distance, sets 

 busily to work, and, with his short legs and powerful 

 claws, soon scoops out another hole, to be again dis- 

 lodged by some other fox. 



This animal is now much scarcer in Norway than it 

 was in former times. Its skin, being thick and imper- 

 vious to wet, is employed in this country for the co- 

 vering of trunks; its hair supplies the painter with 

 brushes. 



Pontoppidan says that when the badger bites a hu- 

 man being, it does not let go its hold until its teeth 

 meet, and its bite is considered almost incurable. The 



