150 BADGER. 



Feet. Inches. 



Lengtn of the neck and body 2 1 



Length of tail including the hair.. 7 



Length of the middle claw of fore foot 1^ 



The Badger, although still found in many parts 

 of England and Scotland, is in most districts ex- 

 tremely rare, and in none plentiful. During the 

 day, it keeps concealed in its burrow, which it has 

 excavated in some unfrequented part of a wood or 

 thicket, or on the side of a hill overgrown with 

 brakes and bushes. The interior of its domicile is 

 described as consisting of several tortuous passages 

 or apartments, to which, however, there is only a 

 single entrance. Towards evening it comes abroad 

 to search for its food, which consists of roots, 

 earth-nuts, fruits of all kinds, insects, reptiles, eggs, 

 and occasionally small birds and quadrupeds. It is, 

 however, with regard to man, a perfectly harmless 

 animal, for it neither commits depredations on his 

 poultry, nor attacks his flocks ; and therefore the 

 persecution to which it has been subjected by him 

 has resulted from mere wantonness, or his innate 

 propensity to destroy or torment. Badger-baiting 

 was formerly among " the more enlightened/* and is 

 still among the vulgar, a favourite pastime, the 

 opportunity of indulging in which is, however, ex- 

 tremely rare, owing to the diminution in number 

 which this species has undergone. 



The claws of its fore feet being long and stout, 

 its limbs muscular, its jaws possessed of great 

 strength, its skin thick, and its fur long and 

 coarse, it is enabled to resist the attacks of its 



