63 1IIE REASON WHY I 



" The bcaxt of prey, 



Blood-stained, deserves to bleed ; but ye flocks, 

 What have you done; ye peaceful people, what, 

 To merit death ? " THOMSON. 



203. Why is the hedgehog covered with short bony spines? 



Being helpless and inoffensive these spines form a coat of armour 

 effective against its principal enemies. They are firmly fixed 

 in a tough skin, and are capable of resisting a great amount of 

 force. The natural enemies of the hedgehog are weasels, stoats, 

 ferrets, wild cats, and foxes. When attacked the hedgehog rolls 

 itself up, and waits till the danger has passed. It is rarely that its 

 enemies can gain advantage over it when once rolled within its coat 

 of prickly armour. 



201. The hedgehog is destructive of snakes, against which it wages war in the 

 following curious manner: The cunning quadruped makes a sudden attack on the 

 reptile, and, giving it a hard bite, instantly rolls itself up for safety ; then cau- 

 tiously unfolds and inflicts another wound, repeating its attacks until the snake it> 

 powerless. Then the hedgehog feeds upon its prey, generally beginning with the 

 tip of the tail, and proceeding upwards. 



SUB-ORDER III. CARNIVORA. 



205. Why is the third sub-order of carnaria called carnivora ? 



The term implies flesh-eaters, and is used to distinguish the sub- 

 Order carnivora, which consists of flesh-devouring quadrupeds, from 

 the general order carnaria, which includes insect and worm-eaters, 

 as well as flesh-eating quadrupeds, divided into three sub-orders, as 

 already explained. 



206. Why have carnivorous animals large canine teeth? 



Being beasts of prey, they are furnished with these teeth as 

 weapons for seizing the creatures upon which they feed. 



207. Why are their molar teeth tuberculated and fitted into the 

 surfaces of each other? 



Because the flesh which they devour requires to be lacerated by a 

 cutting motion. The jaws of carnivorous animals have simply an 

 upward and downward motion, and do not move, also, sideways likt 

 the jaws of the ox, and other ruminants. 



