THE BADGER 



throw under his belly. And this is not all. 

 His powerful jaw and teeth will cut, break, 

 and tear all roots that obstruct his passage 

 onwards, and it is most entertaining to see 

 him going through earth, shale, and stone 

 with the rapidity and sustained energy of a 

 machine. No one who has not seen it would 

 credit what one of these animals can do. I 

 have often been defeated by their being able 

 to penetrate more quickly than even a gang of 

 men with pick-axe, spade, shovels, and crow- 

 bar could follow. And it is safe to say that 

 as long as a terrier is not up to the badger, 

 the badger is not only advancing quicker 

 than the men (if his earth is on a hill-side), 

 but has also, in nine cases out of ten, barri- 

 caded his retreat and scored a victory. I 

 have known a badger, left for awhile by the 

 terrier, bore his way straight up out to day- 

 light and escape. The badger is covered 

 with a thick, long-haired coat, which with a 

 loose skin of extraordinary density and tough- 

 ness forms a complete and effective armour. 

 The hair on his head is short and smooth, 



and the sharp, clean black-and-white markings 



27 



