THE BADGER 19 



however, has no such means of defence, though 

 it has exceedingly strong jaws which make other 

 animals loath to interfere with it. There is no 

 animal that can inflict a worse bite than this 

 one. The lower jawbones, the mandibles, work 

 in such deep grooves where they are hinged to 

 the skull, that they cannot be dislocated. I 

 have a skull that was picked up by a stream 

 where it had long been exposed to wind and 

 weather, and, even now, one would have to break 

 some part of it to detach the lower jaw from 

 the upper. Another peculiarity of the badger's 

 skull is the strong bony ridge (sagittal crest) 

 that develops along the brain-case of adults. 

 The result is that an old badger can take tremen- 

 dous blows on the head and not be any the 

 worse ! It is also well armoured about the 

 body, especially the neck and shoulders, where 

 its hide is so thick that it is difficult for any foe 

 to get a grip of it. Its one weak spot is the 

 chest, but it keeps its head low, so that this is well 

 guarded. One sometimes sees pictures of badgers 

 with their heads up and their mouths open, as if 

 snarling defiance at all and sundry, but nothing 

 could be more misleading or unlifelike. The 

 badger, of all animals, keeps its mouth shut when 

 it means business. When it finds itself in diffi- 

 culties it backs into a corner, drops its nose between 

 its paws, and keeps a keen look-out with its sharp 

 little eyes then woe to any creature that comes 

 too near; the head flashes out, the great jaws 

 crunch, and the foe has received a bite it will 



