THE HEDGEHOG. 35 T 



The young of the Hedgehog are born about May, and are so unlike the parents that they 

 have been mistaken for young birds by inexperienced observers. It is a very singular fact, and 

 one which is almost if not entirely unique, that not only are they born with their eyes closed, 

 as is the case with kittens, puppies, and many other animals, but with their ears closed also. 

 The soft white quills, which present so curious an appearance as they lie upon the transparent 

 pink skin, very soon begin to deepen in their color, and to increase in number, so that about 

 the end of August the little animals resemble their parents in everything but size. The number 

 of young which are produced at a birth is from three to four. 



The nest in which the little Hedgehogs are produced and nurtured is most ingenious in its 

 structure, being so admirably woven of moss and similar substances, and so well thatched with 

 leaves, that it will resist the effects of the violent showers that generally fall during the spring, 

 remaining perfectly dry in the midst of the sharpest rain. 



Marching securely under the guardianship of its thorn-spiked armor, the Hedgehog recks 

 little of any foe save man. For, with this single exception, there are, in our land at least, no 

 enemies that need be dreaded by so well-protected an animal. Bogs, foxes, and cats are the only 

 creatures which possess the capability of killing and eating the Hedgehog, and of these foes it 

 is very little afraid. For dogs are but seldom abroad at night while the Hedgehog is engaged 

 in its nocturnal quests after food ; and the fox would not be foolish enough to waste its time 

 and prick its nose in weary endeavors to force its intended prey out of its defences. Cats, too, 

 are even less adapted to such a proceeding than dogs and foxes. 



It is indeed said that the native cunning of the fox enables it to overreach the Hedgehog, 

 and to induce it to unroll itself by an ingenious, but, I fear, apocryphal process. Reynard is 

 said, whenever he finds a coiled-up Hedgehog, to roll it over and over with his paw towards 

 some runnel, pond, or puddle, and then to souse it unexpectedly into the water. The Hedgehog 

 fearing that it is going to be drowned, straightway unrolls itself, and is mmediately pounced 

 on by the cunning fox, which crushes its head with a single bite, and eats it afterwards at 

 leisure. The puma is said to eat the Hedgehog in a very curious manner. Seizing the animal 

 by the head, it gradually draws the animal through its teeth, swallowing the body and strip- 

 ping off the skin. 



Man, however, troubles himself very little about the Hedgehog's prickles, and when dis- 

 posed to such a diet, kills, cooks, and eats it without hesitation. 



The legitimate mode of proceeding is to kill the animal by a blow on the head, and then to 

 envelop it, without removing the skin, in a thick layer of well-kneaded clay. The enwrapped 

 Hedgehog is then placed on the fire, being carefully turned by the cook at proper intervals, 

 and there remains until the clay is perfectly dry and begins to crack. When this event has 

 taken place, the cooking is considered to be complete, and the animal is removed from the 

 fire. The clay covering is then broken off, and carries away with it the whole of the skin, 

 which is adherent by means of the prickles. By this mode of cookery the juices are preserved, 

 and the result is pronounced to be supremely excellent. 



This primitive but admirable form of cookery is almost entirely confined to gipsies and 

 other wanderers, as in these days there are few civilized persons who would condescend to par- 

 take of such a diet. Utilitarians, however, can render the creature subservient to their pur- 

 poses by using it as a guardian to their kitchens. Its insect-devouring powers are of such a 

 nature that it can be made a most useful inhabitant of the house, and set in charge of the 

 "black beetles." 



It is domesticated without the least difficulty, and speedily makes itself at home, if it be 

 only supplied with a warm bed of rags or hay in some dark crevice. The rapidity with which 

 it extirpates the cockroaches is most marvellous, for their speed and wariness are so great that 

 the Hedgehog must possess no small amount of both qualities in order to destroy them so 

 easily. A Hedgehog which resided for some years in our house was accustomed to pass a 

 somewhat nomad existence, for as soon as it had eaten all the cockroaches in our kitchen it 

 used to be lent to a friend, to whom it performed the same valuable service. In a few months 

 those tiresome insects had again multiplied, and the Hedgehog was restored to its former 

 habitation. 



