194 NATURAL HISTORY. 



manner of captive animals, but with this peculiarity : when he reached a particular corner of the den, 

 he quietly, and without effort, turned over head and heels, and then went on again. On one occasion, 

 after he had been doing this with great regularity for some rounds, he seemed to become abstracted, 

 and passed the usual spot without the somersault. When, however, he had proceeded a few paces, 

 he recollected himself, stopped for a moment, returned to the exact place, turned over as usual, and 

 proceeded without further let or hindrance. 



There are two species of Ratel, one, the Cape Ratel (Mettivora capensis), occurs in South Africa , 

 the other, or Indian Ratel (M. indica), being found in India, 



THE COMMON BADGER.* 



The Badger is the largest of the indigenous Carnivora of Great Britain ; for although the length 

 of its body is not quite equal to that of the Fox, in bulk it far exceeds the slender and active Reynard. 

 It is, indeed, a heavy and somewhat clumsy animal, long and stout-bodied, and short-legged, with 

 a tapering and mobile snout, and a short scrubby tail. The long hair is of three colours : black, white, 

 and reddish, the mingling of the three producing a varying grey hue. The head is white, except for 

 a black band on each side, which commences a little behind the nose, and extends backwards, including 

 the eye and ear, the tip of the latter being, however, white. The lower parts of the body and the 

 legs are black, the tail grey. The length of the body from snout to root of tail is about two feet three 

 inches ; that of the tail, seven inches and a half. 



It is fond of retired places, such as sheltered woods, and in them it makes for itself a large 

 burrow or earth " which has but a single entrance from without, but afterwards divides into different 

 chambers, and terminates in a round apartment at the bottom, which is well lined with dry grass and 

 hay." The Badger is consequently a very skilful digger, and for this purpose is possessed of strong 

 curved claws. Its diet is completely mixed : it eats roots, fruit, eggs, small mammals, frogs, insects, 

 <fcc. It is quite susceptible of domestication, and is said to show a vast amount of affection and good 

 temper. As to its habits, we cannot do better than quote an excellent account of some half-domesti- 

 cated Badgers given in a letter to The Times by Mr. Alfred Ellis, of Loughborough : " About ten 

 years since, the Badger was established here, but it was not until the third attempt that my efforts 

 prospered. The Badgers then introduced, or their successors, have bred every year, and as not more 

 than one pair remain in permanent occupation it is probable that there are many more of these animals 

 in this country than is generally supposed; but their shyness, their colour, and the short time 

 they require to obtain their food, and the recesses of the woods in which they delight to dwell, make it 

 no easy task to study their life and habits. The deep earth in which our Badgers live is only fifty 

 yards from the window at which I write. The building of this house two years ago did not disturb 

 them, and they have shown an increasing confidence and trust. The Badger breeds later than the 

 Fox, and it was the middle of March this year before the preparations for the coming family were 

 made. These consisted in cleaning out the winter bed, and replacing it by a quantity of dry fern and 

 grass, so great that it would seem impossible the earth could receive it. In June the first young 

 Badger appeared at the mouth of the earth, and was soon followed by three others, and then by their 

 mother. After this, they continued to show every evening, and soon learnt to take the food prepared 

 for them. The young are now almost full grown, and, forgetting their natural timidity, will feed so 

 near that I have placed my hand on the back of one of them. The old ones are more wary, but often 

 feed with their family, though at a more caiatious distance. Their hearing and sense are most acute, 

 and it is curious to see them watch, with lifted head and ears erect, then, if all is quiet, search the 

 ground for a raisin or a date. But the least strange sight or sound alarms them, and they rush head- 

 long to earth with amazing speed. 



"The Badger, like the Bear, treads upon the whole heel, and its walk closely resembles that 

 animal. They caress each other in the same grotesque manner while they gambol and play, and 

 at times they utter a cry so loud as to startle any one ignorant of its source. It is not unlike 

 the chatter of the Stoat, but many times louder. On fine evenings we can watch them dress their fur- 



* Aides mdgaria. 



