THE BADGER. 71 



by its darker colour, and by the blackness of the sides of its 

 snout. In both species the eye is surrounded by three milk 

 white spots, and the tail is usually encircled by alternate bands 

 of black and fulvous. 



THE BADGER. (Meles taxus.} 

 Brock. Grey. Bawsened-Pate. 



The badger is found in many parts of England, Scotland, and 

 other European countries. Its favourite haunts are the deepest 

 recesses of woods, and the thick coppices covering the sides of 

 hills. In England, the country people speak of c?o^-badgers 

 and Ao^-badgers, believing that there are two kinds ; and assert 

 that the former prefers light and sandy soils, and the latter, 

 which according to them is of a more clumsy shape, prefers 

 those which are more rich and loamy. The fact is, however, 

 that the dog-badger and hog- badger of the rustic zoologist, are 

 neither distinct species nor varieties, for both may belong to 

 the same litter, or the same individual may frequent a light soil 

 one year, and be called a dog-badger, and the next year betake 

 itself to a richer soil, become fatter, and be called a hog-badger. 

 This notion is probably very ancient, for I find that the learned 

 and laborious Lovell says, on the authority of Schroderus, that 

 badgers are either " doggish or porcine." 



The badger is two fee and a quarter in length, from the end 



