THE HEDGEHOG OR URCHIN 51 



easy to see except in places where there is no growing vegetation to 

 hide them. They are very distinct in form and texture, of a pointed 

 oblong shape, and a dry, loose texture very different from the strongly 

 cemented droppings of rats or bats, and easily fall to pieces. Frag- 

 ments of the elytra of beetles are generally conspicuous amongst them.^ 

 They are not specially odoriferous, but, in the case of captive animals at 

 least, give off a peculiar semi-sweet stink, which is rather stronger than 

 that emitted in the case of carnivores of a similar size. 



Description : — The general form and appearance of the Hedgehog 

 are typically those of its genus. It is a thick, stumpy animal, with 

 neck and body shorter in proportion to its bulk than any other British 

 mammal. 



The head is conical; the ear short, broad, and rounded (Plate V., 

 Fig. 3); the eye prominent; the legs short, bringing the animal's body 

 nearly in contact with the ground when running ; the tail a mere stump 

 (Plate v.. Fig. 4). 



The hands and feet have each five toes, all armed with claws, 

 and five pads. Of these, one lies at the base of the second digit, one 

 at the bases of the third and fourth, and one at the base of the fifth. A 

 pair of unequal size lie side by side behind these. The hand is well 

 shown in Plate V., Fig. i, and needs no further description. The foot is 

 peculiar in the proportion of the digits (Plate V., Fig. 2). No. i is short, 

 with a feeble claw ; Nos, 2 and 3 are about of equal length, with strong 

 claws, especially the former ; No. 4 is shorter and has a smaller claw ; 

 No. 5 resembles No. i, being quite short and with a feeble claw. 



The fur is harsh and brittle, and is confined to the under surface, 

 except the snout, forehead, cheeks, ears — and, sparsely, the tail. The 

 rest of the body is thickly covered by spines. 



The spines are arranged in radiating groups, and their most natural 

 position is nearly flat upon the body, but they may be erected at will. 

 They reach a length of about 20 mm., are sharply pointed, hard of 

 texture, with, peripherally, 22 to 24 longitudinal grooves. Each is fixed 

 in the skin by a hemispherical root, above which is a narrow neck bent 

 almost at right angles. Perfect specimens can thus only with difficulty 

 be pulled out from a living animal. On the other hand, pressure or 

 violence applied to the tips is not expended in driving the spines into 

 the body, but in bending the neck, a fact which explains why the 

 animal has no fear of dropping on its back from a height (see Carlier, 

 Jowft. Anat. and Phys., xxvii., new series, vii., 1893 ; and, for a popular 

 figure, YjCi?L^^, Journal of a Naturalist, ed. ii., 1829, 139). 



^ "It appears, by the dung that they drop upon the turf, that beetles are no 

 inconsiderable part of their food." — Gilbert White, Letter xxvii. to Thomas Pennant, 

 22nd February 1770. For much information on this subject I am indebted to Cocks 

 and Moffat. 



