THE ^rA^niALlA OF DORSETSHIRE. 2j 



fact that cats and other animals will kill, but not eat them, for, 

 like the mole, their flesh is rank and oifensive. 



Lesser Shrew, Sonx minutus. 



Chickerell, not uncommon, N. IM. Richardson, Esq. 



Genus CROSSOPUS. 

 Water Shrew, Crossopus fodiais. 



This little animal frequent? streams, and dives and swims with 

 great agility and freedom. 



Order CARNIVORA. 

 Family URSID.^. 

 Genus jMELES. 



Badger, ^Slchs laxus. 



Since the extirpation of the Bear, jMons arc/os, of the existence 

 of which mention is made in Scottish history as late as in the 

 year 1073, the family has had no other representative in our 

 island than the present animal, which in its habits, no less than 

 in its structure, claims no very remote relationship to that genus. 

 I do not know how bears drink, but, in that respect, the badger 

 differs widely from all other British Carnivora. It is well 

 known that dogs, cats, foxes, weasels, &c., take in their drink by 

 a lap of the tongue. On the contrary badgers drink by suction 

 like pigs, horses, cows, &c. I kept a tame one for twelve years. 

 For a considerable time I had a couple, but one of them died 

 after a fight they had. They were taken when quite young and 

 brought up by a dog. When young they would cling on to 

 one's legs, and one of them was always very selfish. He used 

 to collect all the food he could together and sit on it, to prevent 

 the other having any, so the other would have come badly off 

 had he not been looked after. A farmer in this neighbourhood 

 had a tame one which used to associate with his dogs, but would 

 not let a strange dog approach him. The farmer said that when 

 he was opening a rick of corn the badger would kill more rats 



