Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/442

BADGER. able than those of the wolverine. The whole squat, compact, large-boned, massively skulled form indicates great muscular power; and it is controlled by a well-developed brain and great courage. The loose fur is a blend of blackish with white, gray, or tawny, except as to the feet, which are blackish bro^^-n. The head is strik- ingly marked, the general color, from the back of the neck forward, dark brown, liroken by a dis- tinct white stripe from the bridge of the nose back to the nape of the neck, and a somewhat irregular white stripe on each cheek, reaching from the corners of the mouth to near the top of the ears. Below this on each side is a cres- cent-shaped, dark-colored patch, separating the patch from the white of the ears and throat. These conspicuous markings give to the counte- nance an expression of native ability and shrewd- ness in the disguise of a painted clown. This animal formerly ranged from Ohio westward, but now is not known east of the dry plains, except in Minnesota. It is found northward to Hudson Bay and southward into Jlexico, Avhere the local -varietv is called tejon. The badger's stronghold is in the arid regions that abound in gophers and similar burrowing rodents, which he digs out with ease or sometimes catches by a leaping chase. These form his principal food, and he is likely to seize and enlarge their burrows for himself; but birds, frogs, lizards, snakes, in- sects — in short, any animal food not carrion- are welcome to hiui. He does not hibernate in winter, but fares the best he can. mainly by dig- ging out the torpid or snugly ensconced striped squirrels, prairie-dogs, and other small animals from their underground retreats: and in this ])ractice he serves the agriculturist a friendly turn. Young badgers occasionally are captured, and make interesting though hardly aflfectionate pets. They exhibit amazing strength in moving barriers and breaking bonds. See plate of :'IX0K Amebicax Car.xivores with C.rmvor..

The EfROPEAiS- Badger {Meles taxus) is simi- lar to the American in size and colors, but dif- ferent in dentition and other details. In the ab- sence of open plains, it haunts deeply wooded places, and digs a deep chamber, where it spends the winter, and where in spring four or five naked and blind young are produced. It is omnivorous in a wild state, as well as in confinement; fruits, roots, beech-mast, eggs, young birds, small quad- rupeds, frogs, snails, worms, and insects, equally constitute its natural food. It has been known to visit a garden for strawberries. It is also fond of honev and of the larva? of wasps and wild bees, for which it digs up their nests, its .shaggy hair protecting it from their stings. Its strength and courage are cons])icuous. . liarbarous sport was formerly practiced, called badger-baiting or 'drawing "the badger.' A badger kept in a burrow or a barrel was assailed by dogs, until at last, yielding to superior numbers, it was dragged out, upon which it was released and pernnttcd to go back to its den. to recover itself. and be baitod'again. This often happened several times dailv when the badger was kept as an at- traction to a public bouse of tlie low sort. The verb to badner, expressive of persevering annoy- ance by niimerous assailants, arose from this practice. - old English name for the animal was 'grey,' and in Scotland and northern Eng- land the badger is still called a 'brock' (see Twelfth Night, Act. ii. Scene 5). and is frequently domesticated. Several closely related species belong to the Asiatic fauna, where, also, are other relatives of different genera. The Sand Badger, or Balis.aur {Arctonyx col- laiis), of Northeastern India and Assam, is a yellowish animal, taller and larger than the common badger, and looking like a small bear. It is nocturnal and omnivorous in habits, and is considered very fierce. The Stinking Badger, or Teledu (Mydaus meliceps). is an odd little bur- rower and insect-eater of Java, with a skunk- like power of emitting a powerful stench. H. O. Forbes saj's of this animal : "Another slow prowler, the Mydaus meliceps, very often made my evening hours quite unbearable by the in- tensely offensive odor with which, even in its most inoffensive frame of mind, it hedged its crepuscular walks for at least a mile around . . . with a malignant scent that clung to one's garments, furniture, and food for weeks. . . . The natives have a superstition that if a man has fortitude enough to eat its flesh he will have become proof against sickness of all kinds."

The common Honey Badger of India, and the Eatel, or Cape Badger, of South Africa, are somewhat more distant relatives, closely allied to each other and forming the genus Mellivora. Tlieir coloration is peculiar, all the upper surface of the body, head, and tail being ashy gray, while the lower parts, separated by a distinct longi- tudinal boundary-line, are black. Both are vig- orous diggers, and are even accused of robbing graves. Their generic name alludes to their ob- served fondness for honey (the ratel really hunts for bees with great sagacity), but they subsist upon living animals. Certain small raccoon-like animals nf India and eastward, constituting the genus Ilelictis. and the Cape polecat (Irtonyx zorilln) of South and West Africa, which is re- markalily like an American skunk in appearance and habits, complete the group.

BADGER, (17U5-18G6). An American statesman, born at Newbern, N. C. He graduated at Yale in 1813, studied law, and prac- ticed in Raleigh. In 1841 he was appointed Sec- retary of the Navj' by President Harrison, but after' Harrison's death resigned because he dis- approved of President Tyler's veto of the Bank Bill. He was elected to the Senate in 1846 to fill a vacancy, and in 1848 to a full term. He was an opponent of secession.

BADGER, (1823-09). An American naval officer, born at Windham, Conn. He en- tered the navv as midshipman, and seized during the Mexican "War. In lSGl-62 he was in com- mand of the A nncostia, of the Potomac flotilla, and for the precision of his flre was frequently mentioned in the rejiorts of Lieutenant Wyman, commanding the flotilla. He was promoted to he lieutenant-commander in 18(52, and in 1863 com- manded the ironclads Montauk and Patapsco in many engagements with the batteries and forts of Charleston Harbor. In 1863. while acting fleet-captain on board the flagshi]) Wecliaicken, he was severely wounded. In 1866 he was ap- pointed commaiider, and in 1881 commodore.

BADGER DOG. A dog formerly used in hunting or in baiting badgers. In England, the basset, an almost extinct breed of medium-sized, long-bodied, short-legged hounds, was so used;