THE BADGER. 



THE common length of the badger is about three 

 feet. Its body and legs are thick ; the latter are very 

 short \ the claws of the fore feet are long, strong, and 

 straight, and fit for borrowing. The eyes are placed in 

 a black stripe of hair which begins behind the ears, and 

 runs tapering to the nose. The back, sides, and tail 

 are grey ; the lower parts and limbs entirely black. 

 This animal is found in several of the woody districts of 

 England, as well as in nearly all the temperate parts of 

 Europe. 



The favourite haunts of this animal are obscure and 

 gloomy : it retires to the deepest recesses of woods, or 

 to thick coppices covering the sides of hills, and there 

 forms its abode. Its structure fits it for such work ; 

 and with its long and powerful claws it digs for itself a 

 deep and well-formed dwelling, consisting of more than 

 one apartment, and having only one entrance. Here 

 it sleeps during the greater part of the day, coming 



