56 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



boys, or men induce it to quit its situation; and to 

 their shame be it said, they had the inhumanity to kill 

 the poor animal, and afterwards to burn it, declaring 

 it could be no other than a witch.' 



Professor Bell had a badger which followed him like 

 a dog, and which had been tamed when quite young by 

 some cottager's children, with whom he played like a 

 puppy. As he grew in years, he became too rough for 

 them, but at Mr. Bell's was a universal favourite. He 

 yelped with a peculiar, sharp cry, when excluded from 

 his master's presence. He was fed at dinner-time, and 

 took the morsels in the most orderly manner. He was 

 very affectionate, good-tempered, and cleanly. He died 

 of a disease which affects many carnivorous animals in 

 confinement a contraction of the lower opening of the 

 stomach, which prevents the food from passing. 



In that most interesting book, written by Mr. St. 

 John, and called Wild Sports of the Highlands, the 

 author treats at some length of the badger. I select 

 the following passages from his pages : 



4 1 was just then startled from my reverie by a kind 

 of grunt close to me, and the apparition of a small, 

 waddling, grey animal, who was busily employed in 

 hunting about the grass and stones at the edge of the 

 loch. Presently another and another appeared in a little 

 grassy glade which ran down to the water's edge, till at 

 last I saw seven of them busily at work within a few 

 yards of me, all coming from one direction. It at first 

 struck me that they were some farmer's pigs taking a 

 distant ramble ; but I shortly saw they were badgers, 

 come from their fastnesses rather earlier than usual, 

 tempted by the quiet evening, and by a heavy summer 

 ehowcr that was just over, and which had brought out 



