THE BADGER S7 



branch of a tree, and after killing three put the rest to flight. On 

 another occasion a labourer, having struck a weasel and caused 

 him to squeak, was attacked by over a dozen and severely bitten. 

 He would probably have fared badly had not a passer-by come to 

 his assistance. 



The weasel is always full of courage, but its conduct often rises 

 to heroism in defending its young. A pretty story is told of a 

 weasel that was intercepted by a labourer while carrying one of her 

 young ones in her mouth. The labourer kicked her, causing her 

 to drop the little one, and she took refuge for the moment in a 

 hedge. Wishing to learn how the mother would act, he stood 

 over the little one flourishing a stick. The weasel made several 

 attempts to get her charge, but was again and again driven back. 

 At last, rendered desperate by her failures, she advanced boldly, 

 and, dodging the stick, carried away the little one in triumph. 



Weasels are occasionally attacked by incautious birds of prey, 

 and the latter usually come off second best in the struggle. In one 

 case a kite was observed to pounce upon a weasel, which it carried 

 off in its talons. In a few moments, however, the kite began to 

 show signs of great uneasiness, rising rapidly in the air, or as 

 quickly falling, and wheeling irregularly round, while it was evi- 

 dently endeavouring to free some obnoxious thing from it with its 

 feet. After a short but sharp contest the kite suddenly fell to 

 earth, and on the observer approaching, the weasel ran away 

 apparently unhurt. The kite was dead, with a hole eaten through 

 the skin under the wing. 



THE BADGER 



The Badger is, like many other animals, very quiet and in- 

 offensive so long as it is not interfered with, but it is extremely 

 dangerous to handle when roused. It has a rather long head, 

 narrowing to a snout like that of the pig, small ears and eyes, a 

 thick-set, clumsy body, short and thick legs, and long, curved 

 claws which on the fore-paws are, as in all burrowing animals, 

 sharp and broad. In many respects, as may be seen, the badger 



