BAD 
• BADGER. This animal, termed melis, or 
taxus, in the Linnaean fyftem, is defcribed as a fpe- 
cies of the iiHus, called in different parts of Eng- 
land, the brock, the gray, and the pate. It's legs 
are fo very fhort, that it's belly feems to touch the 
ground ; but this is in faft a deception, occafioned 
by the length of it's hair, which makes the creature 
appear much more bulky than it really is. 
The Badger is a folitary, flupid animal, feeking 
refuge in the moft fequeftered places, where it digs 
a deep hole with remarkable afliduity. It feems 
averfe to the light, and feldom quits it's retreat till 
the night feafon, when it fteals from it's fubterrane- 
ou£ abode for the purpofe of procuring fubfiftence,. 
It's legs being fnort and ftrong, and it's claws ftiff 
and horny, it burrows in the ground with the 
greateft facility. As it continues to bury itfelf, 
a-nd to throw the earth behind it to a great diftance, 
it forms for itfelf a long winding hole, at the bot- 
tom of which itrem.ains in fecurity. Tlie fox be- 
ing lefs expert at digging into the earth, frequent- 
ly avails itfelf of the labours of the Badger ; and, 
■ as fome affert, forces the Badger from it's retreat, 
by depofiting it's own excrements at the entrance 
of the hole. 
The Badger, however, is not long in forming a 
new habitation ; from which it feldom ventures far, 
25 it is by no means remarkable for it's fleetnefs. 
When it is furprized by dogs at any great diftance 
from it's hole, it comibats them with defperate re- 
fblution, falling on it's back, and defending itfelf 
in that pofture to the laft extremity. It (leeps away 
the greateft part of it's time; by which means, with- 
out poffeffing a very voracious appetite, it always 
appears fat and plump, particularly in winter: it is 
alfo remarkable for it's clcanlinefs. The female 
breeds in fummer, and generally produces three or 
four young ones at a time, which at firft fhe 
nouriflies with her own milk, and then gradually 
habituates them to fuch humble prey as flie can 
procure; feizing young rabbits in their warrens; 
robbing birds nefts; finding out where the wild 
bees have laid up their honey ; and bringing the 
whole plunder to her famiftied brood. Though 
old Badgers always continue favage and untrafta- 
ble, young ones are eafdy tamed, fo as to play with 
tlie dogs, and follow their owners, like other do- 
mefticated animals. They are remarkably attached 
to a warm fire ; which they often approach fo clofely, 
that they burn themfelves in a very dreadful man- 
ner. They are fubjeft to the mange; and have 
glands under their tails, which emit a ftrong fcent. 
The poor of fome countries eat their flefli ; which, 
notwithftanding it's being fat, is at beft but rank 
and difagreeable. 
Thefe animals are generally hunted during the 
winter nights ; and their hind quarters are fome- 
times made into hams, which are faid to be tole- 
rable food. Their fkins, with the hair on them, are 
ufed for piftol furniture ; and their hair is made in- 
to brufhes for foftening the ihades in painting. 
Badgers inhabit moft parts of Europe, as far 
north as Norway and Ruffia : they are alfo found 
in China ; and are often expofed to fale in the but- 
chers fhops of Pe'Kin, their flefli being much admir- 
ed by the Chinefe. Badgers abound in every part 
of Great Britain, but feem moft numerous in the 
midland counties. 
Badgers are either caught by means of fprings 
or fteel traps, or by digging pits acrofs their paths 
\ five feet deep, and four feet long, making them 
narrow at the top and bottom, and wide in the 
BAG 
middle. Thefe pits are covered with fmall flicks 
and leaves, that the animals may not fufped any 
danger, but inevitably fall into them whenever they 
tread on the furface. Sometimes they are hunted 
into their holes, and then dug out; but this method 
is very tedious, as they burrow extremely deep. 
Naturalifts have defcribed three fpecies of the 
Badger; the Common, the American, and the In- 
dian. 
Badger, Common. The Common Badger has 
fmall eyes; fliort ears; a fliort thick neck; and 
very fliort and thick legs. The nofe, chin, part of 
the cheeks, and the middle of the forehead, are 
v/hite; the ears and eyes are encircled with a pyra- 
midal bead of black ; the hair -on the body is long 
and rough, of ayellowifli white at the roots, black 
in the middle, and cinereous at the points. The 
throat, breaft, and belly, are black ; and the tail, 
v/hich is about fix inches long, is covered with hair 
of the fame colour with that on the body. The 
length of this animal is commonly two feet fix 
inches, from the nofe to the infer tion of the tail; 
and it weighs from twenty to thirty pounds. 
Naturalifts formerly diftinguiflied the Common 
Badger by the name of the Swine Badger, and the 
Dog Badger; from the fancied refemblance of their 
heads to thofe animals; and fo divided them into 
two fpecies. But the moft accurate obfervers of 
nature have only been able to difcover one kind; 
namely, that which has a head like the canine race. 
It appears that the Common Badger is confined 
to the cold or temperate parts of the globe, be- 
ing never found in the warmer climates of India 
or Africa. 
Badger, American. The American Badger is 
diftinguifhable by a white line pafling from the tip 
of the nofe to the back of the neck, bounded with 
black as far as the hind part of the head ; then by a 
white line; and, immediately between that and the 
ears, by another black one. The hair over the 
whole body is long, being afli-coloured on theback 
and belly, and yellowifh on the fides. The thighs 
are darkifli; and the tail is covered with long yello^sr- 
hairs tipped with white, and terminating in a dufky 
colour. 
This animal is a native of Terra del Labrador; 
and is very leldom feen in this country, either alive 
or in a ftate of prefervation. Buffon defcribes it 
from a ftuffed fl<;in; and fucceeding naturalifts have 
in general adopted his words. 
Badger, Indian. The Indian Badger has 
fcarcely any external ears; it's head is fmall; it's 
nofe is pointed; each foot has five toes; and it's 
claws are very long and ftraight. The nofe and 
face are black ; and the crown, neck, back, and 
upper part of the tail, are white, inclining to grey: 
but the legs, belly, fides, and the under part of the 
tail, are black. It's length, from the tip of the nofe to 
the infertion of the tail, is about two feet; and the 
tail itfelf is about four inches long, and covered 
with fliort and fmooth hair. 
This fpecies, which is a native of India, is carni- 
vorous, fportive, and mild. It fleeps with it's head 
between it's hind-legs, and is a very rare and cu- 
rious animal. 
BiETUS. A name given by Ariftotle, and 
fome other ancient Greek writers, to the fifh called 
by the Latins cottus ; fuppofed by modern natu- 
ralifts to be the fame with the bull-head, or mil- 
ler's thumb. 
BAG AD AT. A term expreflive of the co- 
lumba tabellaria, or carrier-pigeon^ This name 
R is 
