IGG DIVISKiX I. VEnTERIJAL AXIJIALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



to carry oil' tlic booty, some of the small parcels of provisions had fallen 

 down into the heart of tiic pile, and sooner than lose half of his prize, he 

 was at the tronble of pnlling away the wood. The bags of lloiir, oatmeal, 

 and peas, tlmngh of no use to him, he tore all to pieces, and scattered the 

 contents about on the snow ; but every bit of animal food, consisting of 

 beef, [)ork, bacon, venison, salted geese, and jjartridges in considerable 

 (juantitics, he carried away." 



There are two species, the Gtdo ruJ<j((r!s, which wc have just described, 

 and dalo htvus, the wolverene, which is merely a variety of the glutton. 



Genus IIhi.ictis. 1'he ^\i/<-ji/r//s. — There are two species, — II. 

 'iHO-schnta anil //. Orientnlix. They are .bivanese animals, of the size of 

 the polecat, of a brown color, with a white stripe along the liack, and have 

 a musky odor. 



Gems .Meees. T\w Ili«hicrs. — The Badgers have the same dentition 

 as the weasels, are slow in their movements, and of nocturnal habits. The 

 t;iil is short, and usually held erect. These animals have the fetid pouch of 

 the skunks, to \vhii-h they are nearly allied. The Etu-opcan badger (^M. 

 vitfi/'tr/s) is of a grayish color above, beneath black, with a dusky band 

 on eacii side of the head, which is whitish. This common species has live 

 toes on all the feet, well armed with sharp claws. Its habits are like those 

 of the bear, is easily tamed, and, when attacked, fights with great per- 

 sistency. Badger-baiting is a favorite, but very brutal and cruel amusement, 

 in some jiarts of Eiu'ope. 



'J'lic badger is said to be the most social of any quadruped in the imi\crse. 

 It is not known to quarrel with any other animal ; even the fox, polecat, 

 opossum, land cralj, and snake make it resign its abode, although it is 

 much stronger than any of them. It also li\es in the greatest harmony with 

 its own spccii's, subsisting prinrip;dly on mi(s, j-oots, and vegetables. It is 

 clcaidy in ils habits, being observed to perl'orm its ablutions while the dew 

 is on the grounil. 



The Amci'ican badger {Tuxi'lin) has a more carnivorous dentition than 

 the former, and its claws are longer and stouter, enabling it to burrow with 

 greater rapidity. There is but one species well known ( 7'. Ijuhrddwui) , 

 which is valuable for the fine (piality of its fur. The head is white, with a 

 black bar down the check near the ear. In structure it resembles the 

 European species. 



In South America its ilcsh is esteemed as an article of f lod, and the hind 

 quarters are cured like hams. The Indians form parties for hunting the 

 animal. ]t is said that "a party of eight, in one of their expeditions, will 

 destroy two ur three hundred badgers and a (juantity of deer on their return 

 home, besides guanas. These lumting 2)artics are so dcliglitful, e\cn to the 



