6 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



again related in his own words, and thereby rescued from 

 oblivion; for 'The Times' is not one of the journals usually 

 consulted by those in quest of zoological information. Mr. Ellis 

 writes : — 



" About ten years since the Badger was established here, but 

 it was not until the third attempt that my efforts prospered. The 

 Badgers then introduced, or their successors, have bred every year, 

 and as not more than one pair remain in permanent occupation, 

 it is probable that there are many more of these animals in tbis 

 country than is generally supposed ; but their shyness, their 

 colour, and the short time they require to obtain their food, and 

 the recesses of the woods in which they delight to dwell, make it 

 no easy task to study their life and habits. The deep earth in 

 which our Badgers live is only 150 yards from the window at 

 which I write. The building of this house two years ago did not 

 disturb them, and they have shown an increasing confidence and 

 trust. The Badger breeds later than the Fox, and it was the 

 middle of March this year before the preparations for the coming 

 family were made. These consisted in cleaning out the winter 

 bed and replacing it by a quantity of dry fern and grass, so great 

 that it would seem impossible the earth could receive it. In 

 June the first young Badger appeared at the mouth of the earth, 

 and was soon followed by three others, and then by their mother. 

 After this, they continued to show every evening, and soon 

 learnt to take the food prepared for them. The young are now 

 almost full grown, and, forgetting their natural timidit}', will feed 

 so near that I have placed my hand on the back of one of them. 

 The old ones are more wary, but often feed with their family, 

 though at a more cautious distance. Their hearing and sense are 

 most acute, and it is curious to see them watch, with lifted head 

 and ears erect, then, if all is quiet, search the ground for a raisin 

 or a date. But the least strange sight or sound alarms them, and 

 they rush headlong to earth with amazing speed. 



" The Badger, like the Bear, treads upon the whole heel, and 

 in its walk closely resembles that animal. They caress each 

 other in the same grotesque manner while they gambol at play, 

 and at times they utter a cry so loud as to startle any one 

 ignorant of its source. It is not unlike the chatter of the Stoat, 

 but many times louder. On fine evenings we can watch them 

 dress their fur-like coats, or do kind offices for each other, and 



