122 A GAMEKEEPER'S NOTE-BOOK 



a friend of the badger, he has no such bitter resent- 

 ment against him as he feels for the fox. If it were 

 not that the badger every now and then commits an 

 outrage that brings disgrace on himself and all his 

 kith and kin, the record of his life might be written 

 down as fairly harmless. In these days the badger 

 can make small claim as a provider of sport, which 

 might mitigate the sentence most keepers pass upon 

 him. 



We knew of a badger who lived in peace, his 

 presence unsuspected, for many long months. Then 

 a series of mysterious poultry massacres began to 

 disturb the district, and sometimes a dozen chickens 

 and ducklings would be slain in one night. Some 

 said fox, others dog ; strange stories of ghosts spread 

 abroad ; it was even hinted that a wolf had been 

 imported by mistake with foreign foxes. But one 

 day tracks were seen that were not the tracks of 

 fox, dog, or wolf, and a trail of feathers led to the 

 discovery of a hidden draw-out. The badger was 

 evicted and summarily shot. 



* j + 



The bullfinch is not always made welcome when he 

 comes to gardens at the time of fruit -buds. And 

 there are seasons and places in which he would be 

 welcomed but comes not. We know a way to 

 attract bullfinches, even to gardens in towns. 

 You should take from a hedge-side a few plants of 



