Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1911-03-10
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really quite plentiful, though perhaps
not SO much SO as in bygone times;
that is to say, IL the tales one hears
are to be trusted. Perhaps a better
indication is that there are places
named Brock holes and similar names
where no badgers are found today.
Yellow or sable badgers with pink
eyes have occurred in this part, and
some years ago an old female thus
colored, together with her two babies,
came into my possession. The young
ones were the ordinary gray and
white, but charming little creatures,
utterly unlike their savage mother,
who sulkily resented captivity AS
soon as they were weaned they were
given bread and milk to eat; occasion
ally bits of dog biscuit and other
scraps were added. In the end we
parted with them, as the higher au-
thorities" thought they were not safe
pets. They may not have been, but
tried their temper in every way. ia
king the two for walks dragged along
by collar and chain, and carried
them about, one under each arm, that
is to say, until they got too big and
heavy, but they never seemed to mind.
Another pet badger was half grown
when l acquired it; the poor thing
was rather badly hurt. A keeper
brought 1t to me, knowing that l was
always willing to give a home to any
stray animal; so | took it, fed it well
Il have never had any animal that
could eat so much-and did the best !
could for it. Grumbles, for so 1t was
christened had to pose before the
camera; but many hours were spent
and many plates wasted before / OBJ.
tanned any Characteristic pictures, for
the badger took no interest in the art
of photography 1t was not like my
tame owl, Old Hooter, who, at the
sight of the camera, will fly to it and
dance a Jig on the bellows. In the
end the badger was released, let it
go one evening in the woods It tFot
ted off in a deliberate way, aud
thought | should never see him again:
but about three months later some
neighbors complained of the mysteri
GUS way their bulbs planted in the
turf were being scratched up and eat
en-. 1t appeared they were planting
a large number of crocuses In their
garden, which was done by removing,
with a patent instrument. a sod of
grass in shape like a cork, dropping
in bulb and replacing the stopper"
The next morning every cork had
been drawn" and all the bulbs had
disappeared. A badger was eventual
ly blamed and the culprit located In
a dry drain. 1t was dug out, put in a
sack and sent off to me. / gladly gave
it a home and had 1t turned into
kennel Two days later the owner
of the crocuses came up to see the
badger. A man went into the place
and brought brock" out by his tail
this is the only part of its body you
can hold a badger by-then / saw the
bad leg, healed now, that my poor
Grumbles had suffered from It was
Grumbles home again! / shall have
to keep him now. My hope is that by
and by l shall be able to obtain
mate for him.
One of the most mysterious and
alarming sounds I know is the cry of
a badger heard in the stiffness OF the
night. l have only heard it once, and
then / am sure It was a mother and
cubs, for it instantly recalled the
cries Of the two captive ones, whose
ordinary noises were of the granting
description. but who could, on occa-
sion, cry like a baby. AS | said be
fore. the badgers of my acquaintance
confined their conversation" mainly
to a sort of grumbling grunt. which
sometimes. when annoyed, they turned
into a loud snort Of anger
FRANCIS PITT.
London England.