THE SOUTH AFRICAN HEDGEHOG 



ing the anterior and posterior parts of the spiny- 

 armour. 



The family of four Hedgehogs referred to grew 

 rapidly until the diet of insects and meat was 

 supplemented by bread and milk. After a few 

 days one died, then a second and third. On dis- 

 section the cause of death was made clear. The 

 bread and milk not being a natural diet, the digestive 

 juices were unable to cope with it, and the food 

 fermented and caused dilatation of the stomach 

 and intestines. The fourth Hedgehog recovered 

 on being put on a diet of raw mincemeat. At the 

 age of twelve months it w^as adult, and for two 

 years it was on exhibition in a cage in the Port 

 Elizabeth Museum. It got a big ration of raw 

 mincemeat once each morning, which it usually 

 ate at a meal. Then it coiled up and slept until 

 about sundown, when, in response to an inherited 

 instinct, it became active. Several Hedgehogs 

 inhabited the same cage. All of them coiled up 

 in a corner, and looked like a number of sea- 

 urchins. In the same cage with the Hedgehogs 

 there was a Moholi Galago, otherwise known as a 

 " Bush Baby," from Rhodesia, which lived on very 

 friendly terms with the Hedgehogs. 



During the winter these captive Hedgehogs 

 became rather torpid, but roused themselves to 

 devour their rations of mincemeat every morning. 

 The temperature in the Museum during the winter 

 months ranged from 60° to 65° F. When the 



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