THE BADGER 



' 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. 

 Ellis of Loughborough was the author of 

 the letter, and he had rare opportunities of 

 studying the habits of badgers." 



I am loth to do it, but wishing to be an 

 impartial historian, am compelled to state 

 that the badger is capable of vulpicide. As 

 a rule he can put up with an occasional 

 lodger of the fox family, and live happily 

 with him, and from his superior qualities as 

 an architect of subterranean dwellings, he is 

 on the whole an encourager of foxes. He 

 often gives up his spacious apartments to a 

 vixen in the spring, and submits to eviction. 

 A fox will often take possession of a badger's 

 earth, new or old ; and in order to persuade 

 foxes to take to a particular covert, no surer 

 method can be pursued than to get badgers 

 to make earths when they are required. But 

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