126 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



is rather subject to albinistic variation, white Badgers turning up more 

 frequently than might be expected. At the present time, also, there 

 are at the London Zoological Gardens a pair of cinnamon Badgers, in 

 which the black and grey tints are replaced by chocolate and sandy- 

 colour. 



The Badger is essentially "a good easy" beast; he loves a good 

 meal and a soft bed ; the latter he takes care to provide by carrying into 

 his earth quantities of well-dried fern or grass, which he hugs in armfuls 

 and then backs into his den with it. He is very cleanly, and suffers a 

 good deal by the Fox's intrusion into his well-kept house. Not that he 

 seems to object to Reynard's company, and of course he is not afraid of 

 him ; but the Fox, for all his trim and smart appearance, is a dirty beast, 

 and the way in which he leaves decomposing fragments of his meals 

 about, and otherwise makes his surroundings unpleasant, is too much for 

 the cleanly Badger, who often leaves his den in consequence. 



The Badger's love of good living is easily gratified, as he is one of 

 the most omnivorous of all beasts. He relishes a nice young Rabbit 

 dug out of the nest, and no eggs that he can find come amiss, while 

 beetles, worms, slugs, and in fact any small creature he can catch, suit 

 his palate well. He is fond of wasp-grubs, and makes no difficulty of the 

 stings of the old Wasps. Nor does he despise vegetable food, eating roots 

 and fruit readily : in fact, people who feel, as many do, a fondness for 

 this quaint and harmless beast, find one of the best ways of conciliating 

 him is to strew dates and raisins at the entrance of the earth. By such 

 kind treatment it is possible to get some insight into Badger life, which 

 seems a pleasant and sociable existence. The male and female live to- 

 gether all the year round, and the cubs remain with their mother quite a 

 long time. She is as careful of their toilet as a Monkey, and carefully 

 examines them every evening for parasites. In winter the Badger comes 

 abroad very little, and in severe weather may almost be said to 

 hibernate. 



It is not an easy matter to trap a Badger, as it needs a strong trap to 

 hold the beast, and he is so cunning that he will deliberately spring again 

 by turning a somersault on it, the jaws getting no grip on his broad 



