240 BADGER-HUNTING 



tion on the badger and his ways. Now, 

 these two persons had both of them a 

 natural disposition to be interested in 

 badgers, and, astounding as is the ignor- 

 ance of thousands who are fond of animal 

 life, it requires but a very few words to 

 arouse their interest in the rarer species 

 of wild animals that we can still boast of 

 as British. 



The fact is, since the cruel and brutalising 

 sport of badger-baiting has been stamped 

 out, the badger has been forgotten except 

 by a few naturalists, sportsmen, and by 

 the gamekeeper. Being neither furred nor 

 feathered game, the keeper, of course 

 (where his master's wishes to the contrary 

 are not expressed), treats him as vermin 

 and wages war on all his tribe. With all 



