342 Practical Game Preserving. 



close up, watch for an opportunity to " tail " the badger, 

 which, although supple enough about the neck, is however 

 stiff in the back, the result of which is an incapability 

 to reach the hand which holds it behind. Of course the 

 badger should be immediately bagged. We need scarcely 

 point out that this mode of proceeding to catch a " stinking 

 brock " should not be tried except by one who is pretty 

 certain of being able to accomplish a satisfactory result 

 without receiving a bite or two from the exceedingly well- 

 constructed mouth. Large gins, made without any teeth, and 

 with the flat piece where the teeth should be turned slightly 

 inward, can be employed at the earth with some success. 

 The spring, however, must not be too strong; but this 

 cannot be said of the construction of the trap and the 

 chain, both of which must be well made and securely 

 fastened together. If a stake be employed, owing to 

 there being no tree near enough to which to fasten the 

 trap, it must also be capable of holding to a more than 

 ordinary extent, otherwise the badger caught might dig 

 it up; as, however, one knows pretty well when it comes 

 out, or if not, one can wait concealed until it does, 

 the time allowed in which to make its escape need not 

 be long. The traps can either be set to catch it coming 

 out of its earth, or to capture it when re-entering. 



Another mode sometimes adopted is to form at the 

 principal entrance (the others having been all stopped) 

 a sort of passage by building two side walls, each about 

 2ft. long, out from each side of the hole, and just high 

 enough to admit the passage of a badger, when they 

 are covered with flat stones or something equally suit- 



