NATURE AND SPORT IN BRITAIN 



badger was brought up on a diet, first of the milk of 

 a retriever bitch, by which it was foster-mothered, 

 afterwards of eggs and milk, then of fish and meat. 

 It approved of bread and potatoes, when crumbled 

 up and mixed with milk. It would occasionally eat 

 shot birds, and once, getting into a hen-house, killed 

 five chickens. These animals are said by keepers to 

 kill and devour freely young rabbits : that they do 

 partake of this fare at times is, I think, certain ; but 

 that they destroy any very considerable number of 

 rabbits in the course of the year is more than doubtful. 

 Still, the badger is carnivorous in his tastes, and is 

 not, even by his kindliest friends, to be absolved from 

 devouring at times tender rabbits, and even the young 

 of game-birds when he can get hold of them. 



In hard winter weather the badger lies much in its 

 earth, hibernating for long periods much after the 

 fashion of the bear, and sleeping, like that animal, 

 with one paw in its mouth. At this season the beast 

 closes up the mouth of its den, and slumbers away its 

 time for many days, even weeks together. In milder 

 weather it ventures forth again in search of food. 

 Snow it detests, and its footprints are very rarely to be 

 noticed among those of other creatures, furred and 

 feathered, when the land lies sheeted in a garment of 

 spotless white. These animals are good swimmers ; 

 and a tame badger, thrown into the water, will strike 

 out and make its way to land aptly and well. But 

 apparently they do not take readily to water on their 

 own account and in the wild state. In the business of 

 digging, the badger is one of the finest exponents in 

 the world, making its way underground, even amid 

 the greatest obstacles, with a strength, celerity, and 

 perseverance that are truly marvellous. I have always 

 regarded the aardvark y the ant-eater of South Africa, 



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