tlafs i. BADGER. % 



frogs are its food; it is charged with deftroying lambs 

 and rabbets ; but, on enquiry, there feems to be no 

 other reafon to think ii a bead of prey, than from 

 the analogy there is between its teeth and thofe of car- 

 nivorous animals. Nature denied the badger the 

 fpeed and aftivity requifite to efcape its enemies, fo 

 hath fupplied it with fuch weapons of offence that 

 icarce any creature would hazard the attacking 

 it; few animals defend themfelves better, or bite 

 harder : when purfued, they foon come to bay, and 

 fight with great obftinacy. It is an indolent animal, 

 and fleeps much, for which reafon it is always found 

 very fat. It burroughs underground, like the fox; 

 and forms feveral different apartments, though with 

 only one entrance. It confines itfelf to its hole dur- 

 ing the whole day, feeding only at night : it is {o 

 cleanly an animal as never to obey the calls of nature 

 in its apartments ; but goes out for that purpofe : it 

 breeds only once in a year, and brings four or five at 

 a time. 



The ufual length of the badger, is two feet four 

 inches, exclufive of the tail, which is but four inches 

 Jong. The eyes are very fmall : the ears fhort and 

 rounded : the neck fhort : the whole Hiape of the 

 body clumfy and thick ; which being covered with 

 long coarfe hairs like briilles, makes it Appear ftill 

 more aukward. 



The nofe, chin, lower fides of the cheeks, and the 

 itiiddle of the forehead, are white : each ear and eye 

 is inclofed in a pyramidal bed of black ; the bafe of 

 which inclofes the former •, the point extends beyond 

 the eye to the nofe : the hairs on the body are of three 



F colors 5 



