58 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



the fact that German sportsmen, who in many branches 

 of sport far surpass the English in woodcraft, train 

 their dachshunds in accordance with my theory. If 

 the dog is intended for fox-killing he is trained 

 alternatively to bolt, or lie up with, his quarry. I 

 mean that the same dachshund is never taught both 

 methods. If, on the other hand, he is intended for 

 badger-digging, he is only taught to lie up close to his 

 game, giving tongue till his master comes to his 

 assistance. In fact, it is all he can do. 



I must confess I have a sneaking liking for 

 " Friend Isegrim," as the Germans call the badger. 

 The gamekeeper pursues him furiously with traps and 

 other abominations, but I think he is more sinned 

 against than sinning, and that the harm he does to 

 the game is very trifling. Like most of the bear 

 tribe, of which he is the only surviving member in 

 the British Isles, and, with the exception of the 

 Pyrenees, in Western Europe, he feeds principally on 

 roots, berries, fruit, and fungi. It is given to few 

 people to see the badger in a wild state. It is, 

 perhaps, more than any other animal, strictly nocturnal, 

 returning to its earth long before daybreak. Some- 

 times, but very rarely, it lies out for the day in thick 

 covert, and I have twice seen one killed by a pack of 

 fox-hounds. It was wonderful how little impression 

 twenty odd couple of hounds made on that tough 

 carcase. 



I am unable to say exactly how far the habitat 

 of the badger extends to the eastward, but it certainly 

 ranges beyond the limits of Europe, and is mentioned 



