r (_Meles_), who does not like
noise, prepares for himself a peaceful retreat, clean and well
ventilated, composed of a vast chamber situated about a metre and a
half beneath the surface. He spares no pains over it, and makes it
communicate with the external world by seven or eight very long
passages, so that the points where they open are about thirty paces
distant from one another. In this way, if an enemy discovers one of
them and introduces himself into the Badger's home, the Badger can
still take flight through one of the other passages. In ordinary times
they serve for the aeration of the central room. The animal attaches
considerable importance to this. He is also very clean in his habits,
and every day may be seen coming out for little walks, having an
object of an opposite nature to the search for food. This praiseworthy
habit is, as we shall see, exploited by the Fox in an unworthy manner.

The Fox has many misdeeds on his conscience, but his conduct towards
the Badger is peculiarly indelicate. The Fox is a skilful digger, and
when he cannot avoid it, he can hollow out a house with several rooms.
The dwelling has numerous openings, both as a measure of prudence and
of hygiene, for this arrangement enables the air to be renewed. He
prepares several chambers side by side; one of which he uses for
observation and to take his siesta in; a second as a sort of larder in
which he piles up what he cannot devour at once; a third, in which the
female brings forth and rears her young. But he does not hesitate to
avoid this labour when possible. If he finds a rabbit warren he tries
first to eat the inhabitants, and then, his mind cleared from this
anxiety, arranges their domicile to his own taste, and comfortably
installs himself in it. In South America, again, the Argentine Fox
frequently takes up permanent residence in a vizcachera, ejecting the
rightful owners; he is so quiet and unassuming in his manners that the
vizcachas become indifferent to his presence, but in spring the female
fox will seize on the young vizcachas to feed her own young, and if
she has eight or nine, the young of the whole village of vizcachas may
be exterminated.

The Badger's dwelling appears to the Fox particularly enviable. In
order to dislodge the proprietor he adopts the following plan. Knowing
that the latter can tolerate no ordure near his home, he chooses as a
place of retirement one of the passages which lead to the chamber of
the pea