THE BADGER 33 



holes that have been stopped overnight, and 

 last but not least that they murder fox-cubs. 

 I have never met with the slightest evidence 

 that supports the latter contention. That they 

 will open badly stopped holes is true, but if the 

 earths are properly stopped by pushing a good 

 bundle of faggots, sharp points outwards, down 

 the holes, even the badgers strong claws will 

 be defeated. The charge of taking possession 

 of fox-earths, artificial or natural, is certainly 

 founded on fact, but is really a blessing in disguise, 

 the badger being a cleanly animal and the fox 

 the reverse. When a badger takes up its 

 lodgings in a hole it immediately cleans it out, 

 scraping away all dirt and rubbish, after which 

 it gathers a quantity of fresh bracken, grass, 

 and leaves, which it draws down the tunnel and 

 makes into a warm nest. In a day or two when 

 the bedding has become soiled and damp, it is 

 thrown out, and a fresh lot brought in. For 

 this reason the doorstep of a badger's dwelling 

 will be piled round with discarded rubbish, and 

 littered too with fresh fern that has fallen as 

 it was being drawn in. By the way, a badger 

 moves backwards, nearly as easily as it goes 

 forwards, and when gathering litter it shuffles 

 tail first down the hole, drawing armfuls of 

 fern along with it. A consequence of its 

 cleanly habits is that the badger never, or 

 hardly ever, catches mange, and in districts 

 where there are plenty of badgers the foxes 

 also keep fairly free from it, which may be 



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