V THE BADGER AND HIS KIN 1 45 



captive mentioned hereafter seemed to know noth- 

 ing about tunnelling — had had no chance to learn 

 the art, in fact ! 



This animal is firm on its feet, very strong, 

 armed with formidable teeth, and is an indomitable 

 fighter. It was accounted high in the list of beasts 

 giving " greate dysporte " according to the ancient 

 canons of venery ; and badger-baiting, once a pop- 

 ular recreation among our British forefathers, has 

 not yet been wholly abandoned by the ruder of 

 their descendants. In early times it was customary 

 to place the captive destined to furnish the amuse- 

 ment near a hole dug in the ground for his refuge, 

 and then to send the dogs at him singly. The 

 favorite sort for this work was a long-bodied, 

 long-jawed hound, which, as the badger was then 

 frequently called the "grey," came to be known 

 as a " greyhound." Nowadays, when the sport is 

 attempted, a barrel is furnished instead of the 

 snugger hole in the ground, and a number of dogs 

 are set upon the poor beast at once — an example 

 of how such cruel sports naturally descend into 

 mere torture. This villanous practice will soon 

 entirely disappear, but its memory will be per- 

 petuated in the expressive verb, "to badger." 



While, then, he can and does put up a good 

 fight if attacked when abroad, he never fails to 

 make strenuous efforts to gain the strategic posi- 

 tion afforded by the mouth of his tunnel, — the 

 sallyport of his fortress, — where he makes a 



