THE BADGER. 209 



From the circumstance, principally, of the 

 Badger's being an animal of great muscular pow- 

 ers, and unusual strength of body* he has suffered 

 very severely from vulgar prejudices. He has been 

 accused by the farmers of destroying Rabbets and 

 Lambs. But surely the mischief he commits can- 

 not be very extensive, since it is not yet satisfac- 

 torily ascertained whether he lives on animal, or 

 on vegetable food. There are many reasons for 

 supposing that, except in scratching up the ground 

 in search of roots, he is perfectly harmless and in- 

 offensive. The writers who defend the Badger from 

 the charge of being carnivorous, assert, that, besides 

 roots, he feeds on fruit of various kinds; on grass, 

 insects, and frogs. 



The habitation of the Badger is a den, generally 

 deep in the earth, the opening to which is in 

 some woody or sheltered place. In mountainous 

 countries he frequently finds some cleft in a rock, 

 which, with little trouble, he is able to form into a 

 comfortable residence. He is a cleanly animal; 

 and his subterraneous mansion is always exceed- 

 ingly neat. 



In compensation for want of speed, in the 

 Badger, Nature has endowed him with strength, 

 and with such weapons, both offensive and de- 

 fensive, that scarcely any creature will venture, 

 singly, to attack him. The address and courage 

 with which, on all occasions, he defends himself, 

 have caused Jhim frequently to be baited by Dogs, 



P as 



