Reviews. 
147 
J'hc illustrations are few and have no special merit. One naturally looks 
at first to ascertain if any additional light has been thrown on the great 
Badger puzzle, i.e., its period of gestation ; and it is very disappointing 
to find that with an increasing number of sportsmen — naturalists and 
zoologists all over the world — we appear to have advanced not a single 
step during the past century. Sir Alfred Pease is still of opinion that 
the Badger goes with young " about nine weeks." Bell, in his " History 
of British Quadrupeds," 1874, avoids the subject. Flower and Lyddeker 
writing in 1891 give the period as eleven and a half months ; and Sir 
Harry Johnston, in 1903, as six months. Probably none of our country- 
men have had forty j^ears experience of keeping Badgers like Mr. Alfred 
H. Cocks. In his chapter on Mammals in the " History of Buckingham- 
shire," he arrives at the remarkable conclusion that the period " may 
be anything between, under five or over fifteen months ; " but he finds 
that whatever the period is, in over twenty cases all the young were 
born between February loth and March 21st. He thinks the young are 
born at varying periods of maturity. 
One cannot help regretting that owing to Major Barrett-Hamilton's 
lamented death we are left in ignorance of the opinion he had formed 
amidst such a conflict of testimony — -his great work on British Mammals 
being unfinished. 
Truly Sir Alfred Pca.se has well said in his earlier book that there is 
" less known about the Badger than any wild animal left in England 
at the present time." The life history of the Eel lay hidden for centuries. 
What embryologist will first give an explanation, sufficient to reconcile 
the conflicting opinions which have just been quoted ? 
Attention is drawn to the difficulty of killing a Badger, the toughness 
of its leathery hide, and the tremendous power of its jaws. It can be 
readily despatched by a blow on the nose, though its snout is unaffected 
by any number of wasp stings, for it buries its head with impunity in 
a large nest of Vespa vulgaris or germanica, the grubs of which form a 
favourite part of its diet. 
There are chapters on the habits of the Badger and exciting accounts 
of its capture by men with dogs, tongs, spades, and sacks. The authors 
are of opinion that mangy badgers are rare, that they are very cleanly 
animals, and instead of causing injury to foxes by infecting them with 
mange, contribute to their increase by the formation of suitable earths 
which the Fox subsequently occupies. Badgers are said to be almost 
extinct in Scotland, and local in England. In Ireland the reviewer is 
aware of their increase in some counties, and there is no doubt that they 
occur in almost every district. Both Mr. Blakeborough and Sir Alfred 
Pease defend the Badger from most of the accusations brought against 
it, and plead for its protection, by stating their experience, and that of 
others, as to its comparative harmlessness. Gamekeepers and their 
employers should read the volume with interest, and naturalists will be 
pleased to think that one of our native wild animals has two such capable 
advocates. 
' ' R. M. B. 
