294 THE ROLL OF THE SEASONS 



the "bears" found a wasp-nest, as they often did 

 before it had come to our notice, we had nothing 

 but approval for the scientific way in which they 

 cleaned it out with the minimum of damage to the 

 fair rotundity of the cave that had held it. We never 

 knew that they had taken a partridge's nest, and 

 perhaps if we had we should not have allowed the 

 glamour of the word " game " to make a few pounds 

 of bird's flesh outweigh a badger's right to live. 

 Honouring, for peace' sake, the convention that bids us 

 preserve the far more destructive fox, we did not see 

 why the less fashionable brock should not also have 

 asylum. 



Two springs ago our badgers in the brake 

 produced cubs, an event that added to the interest 

 of their occupation, and only slightly hinted at the 

 time when there might be too many of the species 

 on the farm. When last winter's bedding had been 

 thrown out and spring cleaning accomplished by 

 removal with it of the whole floor of the den, a new 

 way was trampled through the young bluebells, and 

 the beginning made of a new sett about two hundred 

 yards away. But soon the work was stopped, and, 

 as all the badgers returned to the old sett, we knew 

 that there would be no young this year. It seems, 

 indeed, to be a rule with the badgers to have young 

 every second year, and, in spite of some authorities 

 to the contrary, until a new family is expected the 

 yearling cubs frequently inhabit the parental cave. 

 Four or five brocks, the farmer decided, were no 

 great matter. Let them stay. When another litter 

 should come he would reconsider the question. 



The farmer has not reckoned with the claims of 



