THE BADGER. 



carries to the bottom of her den, and there con- 

 verts into a commodious bed. She brings forth in 

 the summer, and generally has two or three young 

 ones at a birth. 



It is said that Badgers are subject to a disorder 

 similar to the mange ; and that this will infect Dogs 

 which penetrate into their burrows. The greatest 

 age which these animals are supposed to attain % is 

 from eight to twelve years. It was formerly believed 

 that they lived to a very old age; and that when, 

 in consequence of this, they lost their sight, they 

 kept entirely in their burrows, and were fed by 

 their offspring. Another ancient opinion was, that 

 the legs on their right side were always longer than 

 those on the left; and that, consequently, when 

 they ran, they at all times took care to chuse the 

 slope either of a hill, a bank, or a furrow. 



One of the modes of catching the Badger is, 

 when the animal is ranging abroad in the night, by 

 fastening a sack into the mouth of his den. One 

 person remains near the hole on watch, whilst ano- 

 ther beats round the fields with a Dog, in order to 

 drive him home. As soon as the man at the hole 

 hears, by the rustling, that a Badger has run in, he 

 immediately seizes the mouth of the sack, ties it 

 and carries it off. This, in many parts of the 

 country, is termed {f sacking the Badger" 



Another mode is by means of a pitfall, dug 

 across the accustomed path of one of these ani- 

 mals. This is covered over with small sticks, or 



P 2 boughs, 



