THE BADGER 25 



silvery morsels, and shouldering each other off 

 while keeping the treasure between the fore-feet. 

 In fact, they behaved rather like pigs at the 

 feeding trough ! Another thing of which they 

 were very fond was carrion, such items as a semi- 

 putrid rat, or a decidedly high rabbit, being 

 eaten with the greatest relish. There is no doubt 

 that the wild badger is a great scavenger, eating 

 almost anything that comes in its way. It is 

 no hunter it seldom catches prey for itself; its 

 very tracks show one that. It just blunders 

 along anyhow, and cares not a jot who hears 

 it coming. 



The badger is a great insect eater, being 

 especially fond of wasp grubs. Its handiwork 

 is easily recognized, for after it has raided a wasps' 

 nest there will be very little of that colony left. 

 It does not matter how deep the nest may be, 

 the badger will dig straight down and uncover 

 it, and then scrape out the whole, devouring 

 comb, grubs, paper covering and all ! There is 

 nothing left the following morning, save a few 

 angry insects buzzing round, in wait to wreak 

 their vengeance on the first comer. Badgers 

 must be nearly if not quite invulnerable to their 

 stings, for no nest is too large or powerful for 

 them to attack. I have often seen instances in 

 the late autumn, when the wasp colonies have 

 grown big and strong, where they have partly 

 eaten a nest one night, and had to return the 

 following evening to clear it up, but the second 

 night there would not be a morsel left, Badgers 



