83 CARNIVORA. 



of the nests of wild bees, for the sake of obtaining the honey, of 

 which it is very fond, and has, therefore, been called the "Honey- 

 bee." 



Metes, (Lat. a badger.) M. vulgaris, (Lat. common.) The 

 BADGER. The Badger has teeth which are best suited for masti- 

 cating and bruising vegetable substances, and is less carnivorous 

 than any of the PLANTIGRADES, except perhaps the bears. It is 

 about as large as a dog of medium size, being about two feet 

 three inches in length, but stands much lower on the legs, and 

 has a broader and flatter body. The hairs taken separately are 

 yellowish white at the bottom, black in the middle, and ashy 

 gray at the point; the last color alone appears externally, and 

 gives a sandy gray shade to the upper parts of the body. The 

 face is white, and a long band of black runs along each side of 

 the head, to the upper parts of the body. It is a quiet and inoffen- 

 sive animal, but is often subjected to such ill-treatment, that " badg- 

 ering" a person is a phrase used to express irritating him in every 

 variety of manner. This animal inhabits most parts of Europe 

 and Asia, but in some places is less common now than it once was. 

 It is rather solitary and stupid, seeking refuge in retired places, 

 where it excavates deep burrows, and shuns the light of day. The 

 cruel sport of " baiting the badger," which consists in putting him 

 in a kennel, and setting dogs to bite him through his thick hair and 

 tough skin, is in some parts still continued. The Badger defends 

 itself with great resolution, and sometimes to the destruction of its 

 assailants. The flesh is esteemed a delicacy in Italy, France and 

 China, and may be made into hams and bacon. The skin, when 

 dressed with the hair, is impervious to the rain, and makes ex- 

 cellent pistol furniture and covers for traveling trunks, while the 

 hairs or bristles are made into paint brushes. 



M. Labradorius. The AMERICAN BADGER. The general 

 characteristics of the American are the same as those of the Eu- 

 ropean Badger. There is, however, a difference in the teeth af 

 the American animal, and it has one tooth less than the Common 

 Badger, on each side of the lower jaw. The length of this spe- 

 cies is about two and a half feet. The body is very thick and 

 fleshy, the nose thinner than that of the European species, and the 

 claws of the fore feet much larger in proportion, while the tail is 

 comparatively shorter; its fur is also of a quite different quality, 

 and its appetites more carnivorous. The hair of the head and 

 extremities is short and coarse ; that of the other parts is fine and 

 silky. At the roots it is dark gray, then light yellow, then black 

 tipped with white, so that in winter it has an aspect of hoary gray ; 

 but in summer is more nearly a yellowish brown. It abounds in 



