10 
MAMMALS OF LEICESTEESHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
Badger was captured in a dry brick culvert on Whit-Thursday ; it had been lying in 
a sand-pit for some time, and finding it had moved, we tried to 'draw it with Terriers^ 
but, although they faced it well, it repeatedly drove them out. It was shot at last 
whilst passing by a hole in the top. The female and, I believe, young ones are 
still about.” 
The ‘ Leicester Journal,’ dated 22nd April, 1887, contained the following: — 
“ Badger Hunting. — As two men, named Church, and a third named Vernon, were 
working in Jlarston township, they discovered a Badger under an old tree root. 
He was captured and taken to Stanton, where he was purchased by Dr. Turner; 
and that gentleman, thinking it a good opportunity to improve the occasion on 
behalf of the Church Kestoration Fund, made a charge of IcZ. each to see the 
animal, and thus realized over £l 5s. The Badger has been hunted several times 
during the past week by a number of Beagles belonging to Dr. Turner and others, 
and has afforded some capital sport. The animal is being fed with flesh meat, 
which it devours greedily, and is in good condition.” 
Jelley, then bailiff to Eev. F. Buttanshaw, informed me that a large male was 
killed at Gumley, on 15th Sept., 1887. 
31r. Geoffrey Ellis informed me of one taken at “ The Brand,” near Leicester, 
at the end of March, 1887, and the Badgers of this estate are alluded to in a most 
interesting article written by Mr. Harting, in the ‘Zoologist,’ 1888 (pp. 5-9); but, 
as these were introduced from Gloucestershire, details need not be given, except 
that the late Jlr. Alfred Ellis wrote, in the ‘ Times ’ of 4th Oct., 1877, that for 
many years a vixen Fox brought up her cubs in the same earth with the Badgers, 
and that the old and young of both families lived happily together. 
Jlr. H. L. Powys-Keck, of Stoughton Grange, informs me (1888) that Badgers 
have been caught tivice in Swadborough Spinney, on his estate, but not of late 
years. 
3Ir. ^Macaulay told me he was sure they bred, or were found, at the Laughton 
Hills, and his assertion was afterwards proved correct by Johnson, the keeper, sending 
me, on 30th August, 1885, a very fine female, which I purchased for the Museum. 
Soon after this I saw, in the sale rooms of Messrs. Warner, Sheppard, and Wade, 
a stuffed Badger in a case, on the back of which was inscribed : — “ This Badger 
caught at Laughton, 1849. Jno. Moxou.” Since then I have purchased for the 
JIuseum a male Badger, weighing nearly 24| lbs., which was killed in Mr. J. Perkin’s 
plantation at Laughton Hills, Pugby, 9th May, 1 887, and three female specimens, 
also killed at Laughton, on 27th and 28th June, 1887, and 23rd May, 1888, 
respectively, the first of these being much younger than the others. 
In Kutland. — Lord Gainsborough informs me that it breeds annually in 
Exton Park. IMr. Horn writes me that one or two were dug out, in 1886, from 
an earth at Wardley, and that, in 1887, one was shot in the meadows near 
Gretton Mill ; and Mr. Finch wrote, in 1888: — “There are some now in Burley 
Woods.” 
