THE COMMON BADGER 677 



fessor T. Bell states that its food ' ' consists indifferently of various foots, earthnuts, 

 beech mast, fruits, the eggs of birds, some of the smaller Mammals, frogs, and in- 

 sects." It is also ascertained that the badger is in the habit of digging up wasps' 

 nests for the purpose of feeding upon the larvae in the combs; and it has an equal 

 partiality for the contents of the nests of wild bees. 



It has been very generally asserted that badgers and foxes do not get on well 

 together, and that the former kill the cubs of the latter. Mr. Ellis states, however, 

 that, on his estate at least, " the badgers and the foxes are not unfriendly, and last 

 spring a litter of cubs was brought forth very near the badgers ; but their mother 

 removed them after they had grown familiar, as she probably thought they were 

 showing themselves more than was prudent. ' ' Mr. Harting also mentions more than 

 one instance where these two animals have lived amicably together in the same bur- 

 row ; in one of these cases a fox having annually given birth to cubs in the badg- 

 er's den. 



Within the deep recesses of its burrow, which often terminates in a fork-like 

 manner, are born the young of the badger ; the number in a litter being usually 

 three or four. The young are produced during the summer ; and are at first blind, 

 not acquiring the power of sight till the tenth day. It is a curious, but apparently 

 well-ascertained circumstance, that the female badger, like the roedeer, has the 

 power of extending the time of gestation considerably beyond the usual period. 



Quoting once more from Mr. Ellis, that gentleman, writing in the autumn of 

 1877, states that on his estate "in June the first young badger appeared at the 

 mouth of the earth, and was soon followed by three others, and then by their 

 mother. After this, they continued to show themselves every evening, and soon 

 learned to take the food prepared for them. The young are now almost full grown, 

 and, forgetting their natural timidity, will feed so near that I have placed my hand 

 on the back of one of them. The old ones are more wary, but often feed with 

 their family, although at a more cautious distance. Their hearing and sense of 

 smell are most acute, and it is curious to see them watch, with lifted head and ears 

 erect, then, if all is quiet, search the ground for a raisin or a date. But the least 

 strange sight or sound alarms them, and they rush headlong to earth with amazing 

 speed." When taken young, badgers may be easily and perfectly tamed. 



The difficulty of ' ' drawing a badger ' ' when in a tub is well known, 

 and tries the pluck of the best bred terriers to the utmost. It appears, 

 however, that in Germany dachshunds usually bolt the badger from its burrow, 

 unless they are foiled by the creature digging deeper down, and burying himself be- 

 neath the upturned soil. Other methods employed in Germany are either digging 

 the animal out by following the course of the burrow, or by boring directly down 

 upon it by means of a kind of gigantic corkscrew. Digging out is also sometimes 

 resorted to in England, but the more common plan is to tie an empty sack, with a 

 running noose round the mouth, in the entrance of the badger's burrow while the 

 occupant is abroad, and then drive him in with dogs. 



The fur and hairs of the common badger are used for the same pur- 

 poses as those of its American cousin ; but the hairs, being stiffer, are 

 better adapted for brushes. 



