BADGER-HUNTING 237 



despised. Yet, apart from shaving brushes, 

 a badger has his uses. He is a destroyer 

 of wasps and small vermin, and an excellent 

 maker of fox-earths. In countries where 

 mange in foxes has become a scourge, the pre- 

 servation of badcrers would do much to rid fox- 



o 



hunters of this plague — for they are wonder- 

 ful cleansers of earths, cleaning those they 

 frequent in the most thorough manner ; and, 

 unless very numerous, they encourage foxes, 

 as their *' sets " are the fox's favourite resort. 

 The badger may live in our midst, almost at 

 the threshold of our doors, and yet leave 

 us ignorant of his presence. I once asked 

 a Cornish farmer if there were badgers 

 about his place ; he not only answered 

 there were none, but that he had never 

 heard of or seen any during the many 



