Sucklers. 9221 
Once every year, in early spring, in her earth; and that, like the bear, 
the connection takes place during the summer or autumn (the general 
opinion is, just before they lay up for winter). Moreover, I never 
heard of a single instance of a female badger being killed at any time 
in the summer heavy with young, and I have asked this very question 
of many woodmen and hunters here; and if the period of gestation 
extends over a period of upwards of thirteen months, this must surely 
have occasionally happened. Till this is proved i shall certainly adhere 
to my original opinion, as above Stated, notwithstanding your remark 
that the fact of the new-born young being found in the end of February 
is as compatible with the period of gestation lasting fifteen months as 
with its lasting only three; for I have better evidence to prove that 
this is the case generally with the female badger here, than I fancy you 
can adduce to show that their period of gestation extends over fifteen 
months. I will ask you this question, Do you know of any mammal 
in which the period of gestation lasts fifteen months? I do not; but 
of course there are many of whose habits | know nothing; but I believe, 
although that may be very different, it is the nature of every mammal 
of which I know anything, except perhaps in cases of accident, to bring 
forth at least once within every twelve months, as long as they are 
capable of breeding. It is strange that I am unable to find in any Natural 
History book to which I have access, a good account of the breeding 
habits of so common an animal as the badger. Since writing the above 
I have found an excellent treatise on the habits and the chase of the 
badger, by the late Pastor Ekstrom, not only one of the keenest sports- 
men of his day in Sweden, but an excellent naturalist. Among many 
other interesting remarks on the natural history of the badger, he says: 
“Tn the middle of Sweden the winter sleep of the badger lasts gene- 
rally from the middle of November to the middle of March, dependent 
upon the season. That this winter sleep is not deep is proved by the 
fact that if a long thaw sets in they will leave their earths and come 
out to seek for their food.” (This I can corroborate to the letter). 
“The badger lives in a state of monogamy, but the male and female 
are seldom seen together except about the pairing time, and then not 
often. We fancy that the male seeks the fema’e in her earth, and that 
she drives the male away after the union. It is hardly fully agreed at 
what time this takes place. Some few fancy in the spring; but others, 
and by far the most, say that it is in November, or late in the autumn” 
(and | never heard any other opinion up in Wermland). “ This appears 
more probable, for it is only at this season that the male and female 
are commonly seen together. The young are born in spring. The 
