THE MARTEN FAMILY 389 
and from Mexico to North Dakota and northward. It is 
about as long as the skunk, but the general appearance and 
form of the two animals could not be more unlike. The 
badger’s body is peculiarly broad and flat, and the short legs 
raise it but a few inches 
from the ground. The 
color is mostly a hoary 
gray. 
The badger lives in bur- 
rows and feeds principally 
on ground squirrels, which 
it digs out of their holes 
in large numbers. Mice 
are added for dessert when 
convenient. It is one of the most useful and harmless of 
animals and should be encouraged to remain on any farm 
where it happens to make its home. It is very shy and stays 
in its den quite closely in the daytime, so that it is almost 
as difficult to observe as the pocket gophers. But it is not a 
coward, and when at bay it fights savagely and shows great 
strength, endurance, and vitality. 
BADGER 
