INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 39 



others concerning masses of congealed blood being observed 

 near a patient who has been attacked by a South American 

 vampire." 



ORDER III. Insect-eating animals (Insectivora) include 

 Insect-Eating several families, of which the hedgehogs, the 

 Animals. moles and the shrews, are the best known genera. 

 The Colugo is perhaps the most singular member of the 

 order. According to some writers his proper place is among 

 the lemurs, and except that his feet are adorned with 

 claws instead of nails, it is easy to understand why he 

 might be classed with the quadrumana. The Colugo is 

 covered from head to foot by a furry membrane, resembling 

 an overcoat open in front and ending in a three cornered 

 flap at the tail. 



The The family of the hedgehog contains two genera 



Hedgehog. an( j a number of species. Its length is from six 

 to ten inches ; the head, back, and sides being covered with 

 short spines, the under parts with soft hair. It lives in 

 thickets, and subsists on fruits, roots, and insects. During the 

 winter, it lies imbedded in moss, or dried leaves, in a state of 

 torpidity. It inhabits Europe, Asia and Africa. It is valuable 

 in the garden for destroying the insects, and in the kitchen 

 for the extermination of cockroaches, beetles and other house- 

 hold pests. For defence, it rolls itself into a ball in such a 

 manner as to present its prickly spines on all sides. In this 

 condition it can suffer considerable violence without injury. 

 Mr. Bell mentions a hedgehog that was in the habit of 

 running to the edge of an area wall twelve or fourteen feet 

 high, and without a moment's pause, leap over, contracting 

 into a ball as he fell, and in this form reaching the ground, 

 where it quietly unfolded itself as if nothing had happened 

 and ran on its way. It is nocturnal in its habits and in its 

 natural state lives in pairs. It is easily tamed. A hedgehog 

 has been trained to serve as a turnspit "as well," says Captain 

 Brown, "in all respects as the dog of that denomination. In 



