86 COMMON BRITISH ANIMALS 



Johnston suggests, may be bold enough to lick 

 round the udders for insects, and in doing so, come 

 across an unexpected delicacy in the shape of a drop 

 of milk. When kept as pets in the house for the 

 purpose of catching beetles and cockroaches, they 

 show a great partiality for milk. 



The hedgehog appears to be so confident of the 

 safety its spiny mantle affords that it very soon 

 becomes friendly. Bell, in his ^British Quadrupeds,' 

 says : '^The strength and elasticity of this covering 

 is such that we have repeatedly seen a domesticated 

 hedgehog run towards the precipitous wall of an area, 

 and without hesitation, without a moment's pause of 

 preparation, throw itself off, contracting at the same 

 instant into a ball, in which condition it reached the 

 ground from a height of twelve or fourteen feet ; 

 after a few moments it would unfold itself and run 

 off unhurt.'' 



It is usually a silent animal, but will occasionally 

 utter a curious little noise, something between the 

 yap of a puppy and the squeak of a little pig. 



About the last week in November the hedgehog 

 retires to a warm nest of leaves to sleep through the 

 winter. He makes no store of winter food as the 

 squirrel does, and consequently there is no need for 

 him to move about. He sleeps quietly in his winter 

 quarters until the spring is sufficiently advanced to 

 tempt him out. 



As a pet the hedgehog is a very interesting and 

 tractable animal. It will eat raw meat and fish and 

 drink milk, but needs to be kept very clean and have 

 plenty of run, otherwise it is dirty and foul smelling. 



