HUNTING 241 



strain. The smaller they are, the better. Firstly, 

 they can get into the earths, while the hard bitten 

 larger terrier, or the modern show fox-terrier, 

 who is often hard enough, when you bring him 

 within view of the badger cannot get about the 

 earths after him. When once Brock begins digging 

 himself in, in small pipes, you might as well have 

 a Newfoundland dog to help you as a big terrier. 



Secondly, and most important, when in the 

 earth and confronting the badger at the moment 

 that he makes one of his sudden savage charges, 

 the little dog can hastily back out of danger 

 and escape, returning at once to his job, which 

 is that of annoying and holding up the foe, 

 when the violent attack ceases. But if this 

 chances with the bigger dogs, they cannot re- 

 treat because of their bulk. They have to stay, 

 and face the attack nothing loth, to do them 

 credit but they suffer considerably, and at that 

 sort of game they do not serve their master for 

 many years. 



Two years or so ago we had got out seven 

 badgers, all full-grown, in a day, using almost 

 entirely the little short - legged, wire - haired 

 terriers that my friends used to breed. We had 

 employed good old dogs to find the badgers, and 

 young ones when things became easy ; but on 

 all the days about ten there was not to be 



Q 



