Ground Vermin Habits of the Badger. 337 



farthest or deepest corner of the burrow ; the badger only 

 rouses itself as evening approaches ; and when it is really 

 night, and everything is quiet, it sallies forth in search of 

 food, adopting a quiet trot by way of progression. The 

 movement is not an easy-going one, and the animal seen 

 in the uncertain light of evening seems to resemble a young 

 pig, as it slowly rolls in its gait. The food upon which it 

 chiefly subsists consists of certain roots and any kind of fruit ; 

 but as sufficient vegetable subsistence for so large an animal 

 is not always forthcoming, it turns to the acquirement of 

 animal food, such as rabbits and hares, occasionally feathered 

 game in very insignificant quantities, and in the spring time, 

 when food is scarce, it may be tempted to destroy a young 

 lamb or so. Wild bees and wasps also have their nests 

 discovered by the badger, which composedly devours nests, 

 honey, and grubs together, taking no notice of the bees or 

 wasps, which are unable to reach its skin through the mass 

 of coarse hair with which its body is clothed, and, were they 

 able, the tough hide would feel but little inconvenience 

 from the stings of half-a-dozen wasps, more or less. It 

 is also affirmed that it greedily devours snails, worms, and 

 similar delicacies, while such hymenoptera as are fossorial 

 are no less liable to be unearthed and eaten. 



Those roots which form a portion of the badger's food 

 it easily obtains, discovering them by scraping out the 

 earth till they are reached, while the same means are 

 employed to attain such bees', wasps', and ants' nests as 

 may be situated below the surface of the ground. When 

 obliged or inclined to obtain rabbits, it, of course, has to 

 trust entirely to its ability to creep up to and secure them 



