238 BADGER-HUNTING 



years he had Hved on the farm. Within 

 ten minutes from receiving this informa- 

 tion, one of my terriers had "found" in 

 a culvert that ran at the back of his barn, 

 causing intense astonishment. His scepti- 

 cism, however, did not finally give way 

 to conviction till two badgers were un- 

 earthed, after a night of toil, at five o'clock 

 in the morning. Once, when travelling on 

 the Great Western Railway, I overheard 

 the following conversation between two 

 ofentlemen : — 



First well-informed gent : " Seen this in the 

 papers about badgers being caught in Essex?" 

 Second : " No. How interesting ! " 

 First: "Yes. Very curious, isn't it?" 

 Second : " By the way, what is a badger 

 like?" 



