130 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



killing and otherwise interfering with young Foxes ; on which 

 account a war to the death is too often waged against them 

 by over-zealous huntsmen. This charge has, however, been 

 effectually disproved, several writers recording instances where 

 the cubs of Badgers and Foxes have been inhabitants of 

 the same " earth," where they have lived together in perfect 

 good-fellowship and harmony. Mr. Trevor-Battye says that 

 the only harm the Badger does in the above direction is by 

 re-opening Foxes' "earths" that have been stopped. Mr. 

 de Winton writes : "Badgers sometimes frighten sheep at 

 night, when they are feeding on turnips in pens, and I have 

 had some harm done by them, as the sheep are very fat and 

 heavy-coated, and hurt themselves over the feeding troughs. 

 This is the only damage which Badgers have done to me, and I 

 have lived side by side with them all my life, and have had 

 many as pets." 



Having formed a bed of soft grass at the bottom of the bur- 

 row, the female Badger brings forth in the spring from three 

 to four young ones, which do not make their appearance 

 abroad until they have attained a considerable size. Writing of 

 the breeding habits of some Badgers on his estate near Lough- 

 borough, the late Mr. A. Ellis, who had especial opportunities 

 of making observations, states that "the Badger breeds later than 

 the Fox, and it was the middle of March this year [1877] before 

 the preparations for the coming family were made. These 

 consisted in cleaning out the winter-bed and replacing it by a 

 quantity of dry fern and grass, so great that it would seem im- 

 possible the earth could receive it. In June the first young 

 Badger appeared at the mouth of the earth, and was soon 

 followed by three others, and then by their mother. After 

 this, they continued to show every evening, and soon learnt to 

 take the food prepared for them. The young are now [Octo- 

 ber] almost full-grown, and, forgetting their natural timidity. 



