144 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP, 
wholly among the plains-dwelling, burrow-making 
animals that the phenomenon of hibernation is 
observed, and a reason for this coincidence will 
be apparent to any one who gives the subject a 
few moments’ thought. 
A burrow, however, affords safety against their 
enemies to only a few of the largest and strongest 
of the animals habitually digging or using it, of 
which our badger is himself, perhaps, the best 
example. With him, his house is a castle. He is 
a rapid and powerful digger, and seems to make 
more holes than he has use for. Audubon and 
Bachman describe the work done in this direction 
by one they had in captivity, as follows: 
“He would fall to work with his strong feet and 
long nails, and in a minute bury himself in the 
earth, and would very soon advance to the end of 
a chain ten feet in length. In digging, the hind 
as well as the fore feet were at work, the latter for 
the purpose of excavating, and the former (like 
paddles) for expelling the earth out of the hole, 
and nothing seemed to delight him more than 
burrowing in the ground; he never seemed to 
become weary of this kind of amusement; and 
when he had advanced to the length of his chain 
he would return and commence a fresh gallery 
near the mouth of the first hole; thus he would 
be occupied for hours, and it was necessary to 
drag him away by main force.” 
It is noticeable, in view of the above, that the 
