366 AMERICAN BADGER. 



with the raccoon, gray fox, prairie wolf, and a dozen other species of 

 animals. He was said to be active and playful at night, but he seemed 

 rather dull during the day, usually lying rolled up like a ball, with his 

 head under his body for hours at a time. 



This Badger did not refuse bread, but preferred meat, making two 

 meals during the day, and eating about half a pound at each. 



We occasionally saw him assuming rather an interesting attitude, 

 raising the fore-part of his body from the earth, drawing his feet along 

 his sides, sitting up in the manner of the marmot, and turning his head 

 in all directions to make observations. 



The Badger delights in taking up his residence in sandy prairies where 

 he can indulge his extravagant propensity for digging. As he lives upon 

 the animals he captures, he usually seeks out the burrows of the various 

 species of marmots, spermophiles, ground-squirrels, &c., with which the 

 prairies abound ; into these he penetrates, enlarging them to admit his 

 ovm larger body, and soon overtaking and devouring the terrified in- 

 mates. In this manner the prairies become so filled with innumerable 

 Badger-holes that when the ground is covered with snow they prove a 

 great annoyance to horsemen. 



Richardson informs us that early in the spring when they first begin 

 to stir abroad they may be easily caught by pouring water into the holes, 

 the ground at that time being so frozen that the water cannot escape 

 through the sand, but soon fills the hole and its tenant is obliged to 

 come out. 



The Badger, like the Maryland marmot, is a rather slow and timid 

 animal, retreating to its burrow as soon as it finds itself pursued. When 

 once in its snug retreat no dexterity in digging can unearth it. Richard- 

 son states that " the strength of its fore-feet and claws is so great that 

 one which had insinuated only its head and shoulders into a hole, re- 

 sisted the utmost efforts of two stout young men, who endeavoured to 

 drag it out by the hind-legs and tail, until one of them fired the contents 

 of his fowling-piece into its body." 



This species is believed to be more carnivorous than that of Europe, 

 (Meles taxus.) Richardson states that a female which he had killed had 

 a small marmot nearly entire, together with some field-mice, in its sto- 

 mach, and that it had at the same time been eating some vegetables. 

 As in its dentition it approaches the skunk, which is very decidedly car- 

 nivorous in habit, we should suppose that its principal food in its wild 

 state is meat. 



From November to April the American Badger remains in its burrow, 

 scarcely ever showing itself above ground ; here it passes its time in 



