438 



THE BADGER. 



CHAPTER LXVII. 



THE BADGER. 



THE Badger's legs are so short, that its 

 belly seems to touch the ground ; this, how- 

 ever, is but a deceitful appearance, as it is 

 caused by the length of the hair, which is very 

 long all over the body, and makes it seem 

 much more bulky than it really is. It is a 

 solitary stupid animal, that finds refuge re- 

 mote from man, and digs itself a deep hole 

 with great assiduity. It seems to avoid the 

 light, and seldom quits its retreat by day, 

 only stealing out at night to find subsistence. 

 It burrows in the ground very easily, its legs 

 being short and strong, and its claws stiff" and 

 horny. As it continues to bury itself, it throws 

 the earth behind it to a great distance, and 

 thus forms to itself a winding hole, at the bot- 

 tom of which it remains in safety. As the 

 fox is not so expert at digging into the earth, 

 it often takes possession of that which has 

 been quitted by the badger ; and, some say, 

 forces it from its retreat, by laying its excre- 

 ment at the mouth of the badger's hole. 



This animal, however, is not long in mak- 

 ing itself a new habitation, from which it sel- 

 dom ventures far, as it flies but slowly, and 

 can find safety only in the strength of its re- 

 treat. When it is surprised by the dogs at 

 some distance from its hole, it then combats 

 with desperate resolution ; it falls upon its back, 

 defends itself on every side, and seldom 



dies unrevenged in the midst of its enemies. 



The badger, like the fox, is a carnivorous 

 animal, and nothing that has life can come 

 amiss to it. It sleeps the greatest part of its 

 time, and thus, without being a voracious 

 feeder, it still keeps fat, particularly in win- 

 ter. They always keep their hole very clean; 

 and when (he female brings forth, she makes 

 a comfortable warm bed of hay, at the bot- 

 tom of her hole, for the reception of her young. 

 She brings forth in summer, generally to the 

 number of three or four, which she feeds at 

 fiist with her milk, and afterwards with such 

 petty prey as she can surprise. She seizes 

 the young rabbits in their warren, robs birds' 

 nests, finds out where the wild bees have 

 laid up their honey, and brings all to her ex- 

 pecting brood. 



The young ones when taken are easily 

 tamed, but the old still continue savage and 

 incorrigible; the former, after a short time, 

 play with the dogs, follow their master about 

 the house, but seem of all other animals the 

 most fond of the fire. They often approach 

 it so closely, that they burn themselves in a 

 dangerous manner. They are sometimes also 

 subject to the mange ; and have a gland un- 

 dertheirtail whichscentsprettystrongly. The 

 poor of some countries eat their flesh ; which 

 though fat, is at best but rank and ill tasted. 



