CHAP, xxxi.] TRAPPING BADGERS. 239 



don't live, like a dog or fox, on flesh ? and why do they get 

 caught so often in traps baited with rabbits ?" I could not but 

 admit that they had most carnivorous-looking teeth, and well 

 adapted to act on the offensive as well as defensive, or to crunch 

 the bones of any young hare, rabbit, or pheasant that came in 

 their way. When caught in traps, they never left part of their 

 foot behind them and so escaped, as foxes and other vermin fre- 

 quently do ; but they display very great strength and dexterity 

 in drawing up the peg of the trap, and this done, they will carry 

 off" the heaviest trap to an amazing distance, over rock or heather. 

 They never attempt to enter their hole with a trap dangling to 

 their foot, but generally lay up in some furze-bush or thicket ; 

 on these occasions we invariably found them, by tracking them 

 witli a dog who generally attended the trapper, and which dog 

 was peculiarly skilful in tracking animals of this kind. Rover 

 (for that was his name), a strong water-spaniel, was very fond 

 of, and took great interest in, trapping ; if he accompanied the 

 keeper when placing his traps overnight, he would often start 

 alone in the morning to take a survey of them, and either kill 

 any animal he found captive, or, if he was not very confident of 

 being the strongest, he would return impatiently for the man, 

 and, running before him, point out plainly where every head of 

 vermin was caught. As for getting into a trap himself, he was 

 far too cunning, but always halting a few yards to leeward of 

 them, and sniffing the air, would at once know if anything was 

 caught. If a cat, marten-cat, or any smaller animal was there, 

 he at once rushed in and killed it ; but he waited for the assist- 

 ance of his friend the keeper to dispatch any larger animal. 



To return to the badger, and his food. One of his most fa- 

 vourite repasts is the contents of the nest of the wasp or wild 

 bee, great numbers of which he must destroy. However far under 

 ground the hive may be, and in however strong and difficult a 

 situation, he digs them np, and, depending on his rough coat and 

 long hair as a protection from their stings, devours comb, 

 larva?, honey, and insects. Many a wasps' nest I have found 

 dug up in this way, and often far from the badger's usual abode ; 

 but the tracks of the animal always made it evident who had 

 been the robber. 



The badger is easily tamed, and will (if taken young and well 



