NATURAL HISTORY. 79 



*' Some i scarlet, some in purple cloth, all in badgers' 

 skins, as is prescribed." SPELMAK. 



240. Why is the female badger more carefal than the taude ix 

 burrowing in secwre places? 



Because the male requires the burrow only as a place of shelter 

 during the day and the winter ; the female requires the additional 

 accommodation cf a nursery for her young. Therefore, the female 

 is in part influenced by her natural instinct, and works in accordance 

 with that before she is of age to become a mother ; while the male, 

 into whose composition no such instinct enters, takes the work 

 more easily. 



241. Two young badgers, a male and a feaiale, were taken out of Ike burrow of 

 their mother, and placed in a paved yard, which was so fenced in that they could 

 not escape, and yet allowed tkem considerable range. Tkey unpaved a portion of 

 the yard aad dug a burrow in which they spent the day, and came out in the night 

 cnly to eat tke food which was placed for them. After continuing a year in the 

 court they were put into a small enclosure walled round with stone, and having a 

 eiound of earth in the centre. Trae to their habit of digging on sloping banks 

 where tkere are stones to support their entrance, they first tried tke walls all round, 

 to find a place where they could dig a habitation. They then chose an opening 

 Between two stones which was a little elevated above the ground, and had tiae 

 upper stone projecting over it. In nature the entrance to the badger's burrow Ls 

 often under a projecting stone, wfeieh partially conceals it, and protects it from the 

 rain. They had some difficulty in reaching this place, as it required nearly the 

 whole length of their bodies standing on the hind feet, and tie fore feet had ix 

 consequence littlo influence on the plaster and stones. They tried a resource, 

 however ; tke male lay down close by tke bottom of the wall, and the female, 

 standing on him, cauld reach the desired place with more effect. All would next do, 

 so they abandoned the place and tried the result at others, always selecting a place 

 under a prsjeetiag stone. In th^se attempts, which, though they all proved 

 onsuceessful, were carried on with great energy and perseverance, the female was 

 the most active, selecting the places and being the principal operator. After many 

 fruitless attempts they abandoned the walls and betook themselves to tie mound of 

 earth, the female, as in other cases, leading tke way. Even here they did not at 

 once begin to form the burrow, but ran trial lines or trenches over a considerable 

 part of tke surface, till they came to a place which suited them, and here they 

 began their regular operations. In the first losening of the earth they used the 

 nose, then ttu-y dug deeper with tke fore paws, flinging tke earth backwards 

 between the hind ones, and afterwards using them to remove the heap stiG. furtner 

 in the rear. When tke heap behind them, accumulated, they retreated backwards 

 upon it, and using all the paws gradually removed it from the hole. Sometimes 

 one of them mould lie dowr. to rest by tke side of the other at work and remain, 

 though half-buried in the earth, and apparently giving considerable interruption to 

 fts fellow. The male was must prone to indulge in these lazy fits, while the feak 

 was by far the most industrious in the labour. 



