. The popular natural history . Zoology. 86 THE BADGER. making violent efforts to disengage itself; on earth-worms (lumbrici) beinsf biought, it ate voraciously ; holding one extremity of a worm with its claws, its teeth were employed in tearing the other. Having consumed about ten or twelve, it became drowsy, and making a small groove in the earth, in which it placed its snout, it composed itself deliberately, and was soon sound ; The colour of the Teledu is a blackish brown, with the exception of the fur upon the top of the head, a stripe along the back, and the tip of the short
. The popular natural history . Zoology. 86 THE BADGER. making violent efforts to disengage itself; on earth-worms (lumbrici) beinsf biought, it ate voraciously ; holding one extremity of a worm with its claws, its teeth were employed in tearing the other. Having consumed about ten or twelve, it became drowsy, and making a small groove in the earth, in which it placed its snout, it composed itself deliberately, and was soon sound ; The colour of the Teledu is a blackish brown, with the exception of the fur upon the top of the head, a stripe along the back, and the tip of the short tail, which is a yellowish-white. The under surface of the body is of a lighter hue. The fur is long and of a silken texture at the base, and closely set together, so as to afford to the animal the warm covering which is needed in the elevated spots where it dwells. The hair is especially long on the sides of the neck, and curls slightly upwards and backwards, and on the top of the head there is a small transverse crest. The feet are large, and the claws of the fore-limbs are nearly twice as long as those of the hinder paws. In the whole aspect of the Teledu there is a great resemblance to the badger, and, indeed, the animal looks very like a miniature badger, of rather eccentric colours. Although one of the most quiet and inoffensive of our indigenous animals, the Badger has been subjected to such cruel persecutions as could not be justified even if t/ie creature were as destructive and noisome as it is harm- less or innocuous. For the purposes of so-called " sport," the Badger was captured and put into a cage ready to be tormented at the cruel will of every ruffian who might choose to risk his dog against the sharp teeth of the captive animal. Being naturally as harmless an animal as can be imagined, it is a terrible antagonist when provoked to use the means of defence with which it is so well provided. Not only are the teeth long and sharp, but the jaws are so form
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
