FOX AND BADGER. 



31 



ramifications. At the end it rises about a foot to secure 

 drainagG, and is terminated by a chamber Hned with dead 

 grasses and ferns. We have known quite a barrow-load 

 taken from one of these chambers. The whole of the 

 internal arrangements are kept beautifully clean and free 

 from pollution. It is in this chief room, or one similar, that 

 the young are born ; these are blind at first and not unlike 

 little bears, greyish white, and the facial markings not very 

 distinct. The young accompany the females during the 

 summer. 



Naturalists are yet much divided in opinion as to the 

 period of gestation in the badger, some making it a year^ or 

 even fifteen months, and others eleven or twelve weeks. 

 The young are born early in spring ; we have seen a female 

 killed on January 20th, which was then suckling. There is 

 no prettier sight than a litter of young badgers with their 

 mother, but to be able to watch their habits it is necessary 

 to take your stand on a midsummer night or in bright 

 moonlight in some wood frequented by them, keeping 

 concealed near an open space or where the chief rides cross. 

 If fortunate, we shall see them emerge from the underwood, 

 waddling to and fro in eager search for worms, grubs, and 

 snails, and in the uncertain light looking not unlike a litter 

 of little grey pigs on the stray, and snuffling and grunting 

 much in the same manner. In his food the badger may be 

 said to be omnivorous — earthnuts, roots, bulbs of wild 

 hyacinths, beech-mast, all sorts of fruit, garden produce 

 (we know of one shot with grass in his mouth), frogs, worms, 

 and insects. They are exceedingly fond of the garden snail, 

 also eggs of all sorts, wounded game, and hedgehogs. He 

 will scratch out a nest of young rabbits, and no doubt eat 

 very young hares if he comes across them in his rambles. 

 Regarding the two latter, to judge by the agitation which 

 preceded the passing of the Ground Game Act, he and the 

 fox also are conferring a benefit on the farmer by keeping 



