Badgers belong to the same division of Carnivora as Bears, but differ
from them, not only in size, but in dentition. This, while they claim a
sort of miniature relationship, forms them into a separate genus. They
afford many a day of what is called sport, to those who choose to hunt
them, during which they evince much sagacity in their efforts to escape;
but I am happy to say the custom of tying them into an empty cask, and
baiting them with dogs, no longer exists. They are by nature slothful
and heavy, but are easily tamed, and when roused are fierce. They have a
gland under the tail, which secretes a liquid of most disagreeable
odour, and causes them to pass into a sort of proverb. They feed chiefly
on roots, nuts, and other fruits; attack the nests of wasps, or wild
bees, and devour their larvæ, themselves, or their honey, with a perfect
indifference to their stings, which cannot pierce through their tough
hide. They prey at night and live in the thickest parts of woods or
coppices, where they rapidly dig deep holes, by means of their sharp and
powerful claws. These holes are divided into several chambers, the
innermost of which is round, and lined with hay or grass. All are kept
very clean, and every waste remnant of food and species of filth is
deposited in holes dug on purpose for its reception. The passages to
the dwellings frequently turn at sharp angles, at which places the
badgers make a stand when attacked. Mr. St. John caused a badger's hole
to be dug out, and he there found balls of grass, rolled up to the size
of a man's fist, evidently intended for food. That gentleman also says,
that he has frequently found the bulb of the common blue hyacinth lying
near the hole. They devour, besides all sorts of vegetables, small
animals whether alive or dead, snails and worms; but their peculiar
dainty consists of eggs. A partridge's nest affords them a delicious
feast, particularly if they include the sitting hen.
Badgers have a peculiarly formed chest and jaw, which give them great
strength; their forehead is so thick, in consequence of a ridge which
runs down the middle of it, that they are unhurt by a blow in front
which would kill an ox; while almost a touch at the back of the head
will cause their destruction. Their thick skin, which lies loosely upon
them, is much used for making pistol cases, and their fur is excellent
for painter's brushes. They are difficult to kill, and few dogs have
courage enough to attack them in their holes, where they live in pairs.
When thus pursued, they constantly impede the progress of their enemies
by throwing the soil behind them, so as to fill up the passages, while
they escape to the surface. They are rare animals, but are to be found
in various parts of the world. The Chinese eat them in spite of their
bad odour. When tamed they show great affection, an interesting proof of
which is given by Captain Brown in his popular Natural History, which I
transcribe. "Two persons (in France) went on a journey, and passing
through a hollow way, a dog which was with them, started a badger, which
he attacked, and pursued till he took shelter in a burrow under a tree.
With some pains he was hunted out and killed. Being a few miles from a
village, called Chapelletiere, they agreed to drag him thither, as the
commune gave a reward for every one which was destroyed; besides which
they proposed selling the skin. Not having a rope, they twisted some
twigs, and by turns drew him along the road. They had not proceeded far
when they heard the cry of an animal in seeming distress, and stopped to
listen, when another badger approached them slowly. They at first threw
stones at it; notwithstanding which, it drew near, came up to the dead
animal, began to lick it, and continued its mournful cry. The men,
surprised at this, desisted from offering any further injury to it, and
again drew the dead one along as before; when the living badger,
determined not to quit its companion, lay down on it, taking it gently
by one ear, and in that manner was drawn into the midst of the village;
nor could dogs, boys, or men induce it to quit its situation, and to
their shame be it said, they had the inhumanity to kill the poor animal,
and afterwards to burn it, declaring it could not be no other than a
witch."
Professor Bell had a badger which followed him like a dog, and which had
been tamed when quite young by some cottager's children, with whom he
played like a puppy. As he grew in years, he became too rough for them,
but at Mr. Bell's was a universal favourite. He yelped with a peculiar,
sharp cry when excluded from his master's presence. He was fed at
dinner-time, and took the morsels in the most orderly manner. He was
very affectionate, good-tempered, and cleanly. He died of a disease
which affects many carnivorous animals in confinement--a contraction of
the lower opening of the stomach, which prevents the food from passing.
In that most interesting book, written by Mr. St. John, and called "Wild
Sports of the Highlands," the author treats at some length of the
badger. I select the following passages from his pages:--
"I was just then startled from my reverie by a kind of grunt close to
me, and the apparition of a small, waddling, grey animal, who was busily
employed in hunting about the grass and stones at the edge of the loch;
presently another and another appeared in a little grassy glade which
ran down to the water's edge, till at last I saw seven of them busily at
work within a few yards of me, all coming from one direction. It at
first struck me that they were some farmer's pigs taking a distant
ramble; but I shortly saw they were badgers, come from their fastnesses
rather earlier than usual, tempted by the quiet evening, and by a heavy
summer shower that was just over, and which had brought out an infinity
of large black snails and worms, on which the badgers were feeding with
good appetite. As I was dressed in grey, and sitting on a grey rock,
they did not see me, but waddled about, sometimes close to me, only now
and then, as they crossed my track, they showed a slight uneasiness,
smelling the ground, and grunting gently. Presently a very large one,
which I took to be the mother of the rest, stood motionless for a
moment, listening with great attention, and then giving a loud grunt,
which seemed perfectly understood by the others; she scuttled away,
followed by the whole lot. I was soon joined by my attendant, whose
approach they had heard long before my less acute ears gave me warning
of his coming.... When caught in traps, they [badgers] never leave part
of their foot behind them and so escape, as foxes and other vermin
frequently do; but they display very great strength and dexterity in
drawing up the peg of the trap, and this done, they will carry off the
heaviest trap to an amazing distance, over rock or heather. They never
attempt to enter their hole with a trap dangling to their foot, but
generally lay up in some furze bush or thicket.
"When first caught, their efforts to escape show a degree of strength
and ingenuity which is quite wonderful, digging and tearing at their
prison with the strength of a rhinoceros. I one day found a badger, not
much hurt, in a trap. Tying a rope to his hind leg, I drove him home
before me, as a man drives a pig, but with much less trouble, for he
made no attempts to escape, but trotted quietly ahead, only occasionally
showing a natural inclination to bolt off the main path, whenever he
passed any diverging road, all of which were probably familiar haunts of
the unlucky beast. When at home, I put him into a paved court, where I
thought he could not possibly escape. The next morning, however, he was
gone, having displaced a stone that I thought him quite incapable of
moving, and then digging under a wall.... Sometimes I have known a
badger leave the solitude of the woods and take to some drain in the
cultivated country, where he becomes very bold and destructive to the
crops, cutting down wheat, and ravaging the gardens in a most surprising
manner. One which I know to be now living in this manner, derives great
part of his food during the spring from a rookery, under which he
nightly hunts, feeding on the young rooks that fall from their nests, or
on the old ones that are shot. This badger eludes every attempt to trap
him. Having more than once run narrow risks of this nature, he has
become so cunning, that no one can catch him. If a dozen baited traps
are set, he manages to carry off the baits, and spring every trap,
always with total impunity to himself. At one time he was watched out to
some distance from his drain, and traps were then put in all directions
round it, but, by jumping over some and rolling over others, he escaped
all. In fact, though a despised and maltreated animal, when he has once
acquired a certain experience in worldly matters, few beasts show more
address and cunning in keeping out of scrapes. Though eaten in France,
Germany, and other countries, and pronounced to make excellent hams, we
in Britain despise him as food, though I see no reason why he should not
be quite as good as any pork.
"The badger becomes immensely fat. Though not a great eater, his quiet
habits and his being a great sleeper prevent his being lean." That sleep
is taken in the day, for his habits are generally nocturnal.
All badgers may be recognized by the broad black band across their
cheeks. Those of India have longer legs than those of Europe; their
snout is also prolonged, like that of a hog; and their tail resembles
that of the latter animal. They are very slow in their movement, and
when affronted make a peculiar grunting noise, and bristle up the hair
of their back. If still more roused, they stand on their hind legs as
bears do, have much power in their fore legs, and are extremely savage
when provoked.