THE BADGER 



these old authors drew upon their imagination, 

 and where they found suggestions for their 

 errors. In this case it may be they were 

 misled by the custom, which still continues, 

 of distinguishing between the dog and bitch, 

 or male and female badger, by using the terms 

 boar and sow ; or it may be the idea dawned 

 whilst they ate their rasher from a badger 

 ham ! 



There are altogether not more than five (or 

 perhaps six) kinds of badger known through- 

 out the world, so far as I know/ 



I. The European badger, known over 

 almost the whole of Europe and Asia. 2. A 

 larger species, confined to the high steppes 

 of Eastern Siberia. 3. The North American 

 mistonusk, or chocaratouch {^Mcles labradorica 

 or hndsonius). 4. The Mexican badger, 

 found south of latitude 35 degrees. 5. The 

 Japanese badger. 6. The Indian badger 



^ Lydekker, whose authority I accept, enumerates four 

 kinds of badger — 



1. The American (Taxidea amerkand). 



2. The Common [Alelcs taxiis). 



3. Malayan [Mydaus meliceps). 



4. The Sand-badger {Arclonyx collaris). 



