count of two badgers which were taken from the burrow and confined in a paved yard, so fenced in that they could not escape. They soon unpaved a portion of the yard, and dug a burrow in which they remained during the day, coming out only at night to take such food as was provided for them. They were afterwards removed to an enclosure walled round with stone, and having a small mound of earth in the centre. They at first tried to construct a burrow between the stones of the wall, choosing an opening between two stones, one of which projected over the other. As the place was so elevated as to make it necessary for them to stand on their hind feet, and reach to it, nearly the whole length of their bodies, their fore-claws had but little influence on the hard plaster. They had then recourse to a contrivance which showed considerable ingenuity. The male extended himself at the foot of the wall, and the female, mounting upon his body, was enabled to carry on her operations with more effect. Finding the wall too hard for them, they abandoned it, and afterwards tried several other places without effect. It was observed that in all these attempts the female was

the most persevering and energetic, selecting the places and acting as principal operator. Having been thus foiled in their attempts on the wall, they next turned to the mound of earth. They did not, however, at once begin to burrow, but dug trenches, as it were, over a considerable part of the surface before they found a place which suited their views. They first loosened the earth with their snout, then dug into it with their fore-paws, throwing it below them towards their hind legs, and using them to throw it still farther to the rear. When it accumulated so much as to impede their operations, they retreated, pushing the heap before them, and thus gradually removed it from the hole. Sometimes one of them-generally the male-indulged in a lazy fit, laying himself down to rest by the side of his mate at work, thus offering considerable interruption to the work. Such is the substance of M. Cuvier's account. It furnishes some very interesting glimpses of an animal, the retired nature of whose habits afford few opportunities for observation.

Though the formidable nature of the teeth with which the jaws of the badger are furnished would

lead us to expect a savage and pugnacious animal, it is in reality remarkably quiet and inoffensive. They live together in pairs, several sometimes inhabiting the same burrow. The female produces from three to five at a birth, and the young arrive at maturity in two years, though they afterwards continue to increase in size. When taken young they are easily domesticated, and are gentle and playful in their manners. Towards winter they become indolent and inactive, and doze out their time in their burrows.

The variety of interpretations which commentators have put upon the words which our translators render "badger-skins," has been already referred to. The Greek and Latin versions translate them "skins dyed of a violet colour;" the Syriac, "azure;" the Arabic, " black;" the Coptic, "violet;" the Persic, "rams' skins." The Jewish interpreters, however, are agreed that it is the name of an animal, but they differ in opinion as to its precise nature. The principal argument against our adoption of the badger is, that it is not an inhabitant of Arabia or the neighbouring countries; nor is there any peculiarity in its skin which

could fit it for a covering to the tabernacle, to which purpose we find it was applied. It is, besides, nowhere met with so plentifully as to be at all likely to be used for this purpose: nor can it by any means be deemed probable that the skin of an animal declared unclean by the law, and which the Israelites were to avoid touching, or if they did happen to touch it, were not to worship at the temple till the pollution was removed according to the precept, would be employed as a covering to the sacred structure and its consecrated utensils, which the Levites would be often obliged to handle in performing the duties of their office.

Whatever may have been the nature of the skin, it was evidently very highly esteemed among the Hebrews. It was one of the articles permitted to be offered for the tabernacle, and formed the exclusive covering of that splendid structure. Of it also were made the shoes of the mystical bride, when, according to the representation of the prophet, she was richly adorned for the marriage: "Thou becamest mine. Then I washed thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed

thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skins; and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk." It is evident that in this passage badgers' skins are represented as a very precious and splendid substance, fit to be made into shoes for ladies of the highest rank, and form part of their bridal garments. In the Book of Exodus, on the contrary, it is spoken of as coarse, and fit only to be made into the external covering for the temple and its furniture during the journeys of the tribes. It is not easy to reconcile these different representations, unless, perhaps, we adopt the idea of those who regard the words as indicating a particular colour.

THE JERBOA (“MOUSE”).

ALMOST every commentator admits, that by the word translated " mouse is meant the Jerboa. Allusions to this animal are not very frequent in Scripture; in Leviticus (xi. 29), we find it forbidden to the Israelites as an article of food; it was used as a means of punishment of the