144 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 



wholly among the plains-dwelling, burrow-making 

 animals that the phenomenon of hibernation is 

 observed, and a reason for this coincidence will 

 be apparent to any one who gives the subject a 

 few moments' thought. 



A burrow, however, affords safety against their 

 enemies to only a few of the largest and strongest 

 of the animals habitually digging or using it, of 

 which our badger is himself, perhaps, the best 

 example. With him, his house is a castle. He is 

 a rapid and powerful digger, and seems to make 

 more holes than he has use for. Audubon and 

 Bachman describe the work done in this direction 

 by one they had in captivity, as follows : 



"He would fall to work with his strong feet and 

 long nails, and in a minute bury himself in the 

 earth, and would very soon advance to the end of 

 a chain ten feet in length. In digging, the hind 

 as well as the fore feet were at work, the latter for 

 the purpose of excavating, and the former (like 

 paddles) for expelling the earth out of the hole, 

 and nothing seemed to delight him more than 

 burrowing in the ground; he never seemed to 

 become weary of this kind of amusement; and 

 when he had advanced to the length of his chain 

 he would return and commence a fresh gallery 

 near the mouth of the first hole; thus he would 

 be occupied for hours, and it was necessary to 

 drag him away by main force." 



It is noticeable, in view of the above, that the 



