292 EEMINISCENCES OF A SPORTSMAJf. 



badger will be generally found to have made his retreat 

 before he can be reached, to render which the more easy- 

 he usually constructs his kennel among the roots of some 

 old pollard, or underneath some hollow tree, that his 

 assailants are often compelled, after tiring themselves 

 by digging fifteen or twenty feet, to relinquish the 

 pursuit. Badger baiting is a different sport, and of a 

 lower description. It consists in attacking the animal 

 at a distance from his burrow, generally with well-bred 

 terriers. The badger is so rapid in his motions that the 

 dogs are often desperately wounded, and compelled to 

 give up the contest. The looseness and thickness of his 

 skin are admirably contrived for his advantage. 



These sports have given rise to a very expressive 

 proverb of " Badgering a man with a request for pay- 

 ment of debts," &c. 



The polecat or fitch inhabits the temperate parts of 

 Europe, its range extending from Italy to Poland. In 

 Britain, France, and many other countries, it is very 

 common. From the nose to the extremity of the body 

 its length is nearly eighteen inches, or, including the 

 tail, one foot eleven inches. The edges of both jaws 

 are white ; the ears are short, semicircular, and tipped 

 with white ; the feet are short, toes long and separated 

 to the very origin, the claws are sharp and hooked, 

 white underneath and brown above ; the head and legs 

 are entirely of a dark chocolate, approaching to white. 

 The hairs on the sides of the body are of a blackish 

 brown colour, but yellowish about the middle and base. 

 The coat consists of two sorts of fur, the shorter of 

 which is the more warm and downy, and the adult 

 animal reta,ins both throughout the year ; but the young 



