( 206 ) 



OF THE BEAR TRIBE IN GENERAL. 



BADGERS have been separated from the Bear 

 tribe of Linnaeus by Mr. Pennant, and by several 

 of the latest French naturalists, but apparently 

 without sufficient reason. The former rests his 

 chief distinction on the claws of the fore-feet be- 

 ing very long and straight. And, by the French 

 writers, the Bears are said to have their body some- 

 what elongated in proportion to their stature, and 

 the tail very short : the Badgers, to have their body 

 low on the legs, and the tail either short or of mo- 

 derate length. 



The European Badger is the only animal belong- 

 ing to the tribe, which is now to be found a native 

 of the British dominions. But there is evidence, 

 in the accounts of several ancient writers, that the 

 Common Black Bear* was once an inhabitant of 

 the northern districts of Britain. Caledonian Bears 

 are mentioned by Martial ; and Plutarch relates, 

 that the Romans imported Bears from Britain, 

 which at Rome were much admired. In some of 

 the ancient Welsh manuscripts, the Bear is enume- 

 rated among the British beasts of chase; and its 



* Ursus arctos of Linnaeus. 



flesh 



