70 ERINACEID^— ERINACEUS 



ing its course for any considerable distance at a time. Constant 

 interruptions occur while the animal halts to smell and snuff, 

 or root a hole amongst the leaves and grass, then as suddenly 

 it jogs along on its quiet way again. ^ Its food is sought chiefly 

 by the sense of scent, which is so keen that Mr William Evans 

 remarks that it will follow up the tracks of a beetle with facility 

 and speed. So engrossed is the animal in its business, that any 

 one who remains moderately still may watch it at work from a 

 distance of a few yards. ^ So fearless is it of the quiet proximity 

 of men, that it has been known to lick an observer's boots,^ or 

 to thrust its snout under the instep in search of food.^ But 

 on any suspicious movement the hitherto vivacious Urchin 

 becomes motionless, its head dropping between its fore paws 

 preparatory to subsidence, if need be, into a ball of impenetrable 

 bristles. At times hedgehogs, perhaps when unwell, appear 

 abroad by day, but their diurnal movements frequently coincide 

 with times when food is scarce, such as autumn frosts. The 

 increased number of slugs and snails which come out when a 

 good shower succeeds a summer drought are also no doubt the 

 cause of diurnal appearances.^ 



Although at first sight a clumsy and feeble creature, the 

 Hedgehog is in reality possessed of astonishing activity," 

 even in spheres in which it would have been, perhaps, least 

 expected, namely, as a runner, climber/ and swimmer. It has no 

 hesitation in ascending to a height, and, provided that the nature 

 of an obstacle is such as to afford it a little assistance, as when 

 the surface of a wall is rough, or there are rain-pipes,^ fruit 

 trees,® or creepers, ^° it will readily make its escape even from 

 enclosed gardens or yards. One which I placed in an enclosure 

 fenced in by two sets of close-meshed netting worked its way 



> See Rev. A. C. Smith, Zoologist^ 1853, 4010. 



"- H. J. J. Brydges, Zoologist, 1847, 1768. Service has had eight in full view 

 within twenty yards on a summer's evening. 



^ Millais, i., 1 1 5-1 16. * Fide Moffat. ^ Ibid. 



•' Despite its spines it can scratch its own back (Rev. C. A. Bury, Zoologist, 1844, 



778). 



^ Cocks also writes me that he has often been astonished at the powers of climb- 

 ing exhibited by captives. 



8 R. H. Scott, Zoologist, 1886, 242, from Nature. 



^ O. Grabham, Field, 3rd December 1898, 897. 



i** Mansel-Pleydell, /£'«r«. cit., i6th November 1895, 827. 



