324 THE INSECTIVORES 



hogs are comparatively silent creatures, but on occasions they give vent to a sound 

 said to be something between a grunt and a low piping squeak. 



The range of the hedgehog in Britain includes the whole of Eng- 

 Distnbution i an ^ an( j portions of Ireland, but does not extend beyond the middle 

 of Scotland ; its presence in the Shetland islands being probably due to human in- 

 troduction. Eastward it extends to Eastern China and Amurland, and it also 

 embraces the region from the sixty-third parallel of latitude in the Scandinavian 

 Peninsula, to Southern Italy, Asia Minor, and Syria. Not only is the European 

 hedgehog found in the lowlands of the regions over which it extends, but in the 

 Alps it ascends to an elevation of six thousand feet, and in the Caucasus to up- 

 wards of eight thousand feet above the sea level. 



Altogether there are nearly twenty known species of hedgehogs, and among 

 these the European form is in some respects quite peculiar. Its fur mingled with 

 the spines is very coarse and harsh, and the upper tusk, or canine tooth (the fourth 

 tooth from the extremity of the muzzle), is inserted by a single root, while in all 

 the others the fur is softer and finer, and the upper canine tooth has two roots, and 

 closely resembles the cheek-teeth. 



Hedgehogs are represented by five distinct species in India, all characterized by 

 having minute tubercles on the ridges of their spines. It is remarkable that while 

 one of these hedgehogs (E. micropus} is found in Madras, no representative of the 

 genus is recorded from the Central Provinces and Bengal, the other species not oc- 

 curring till we reach the Northwest Provinces, the Punjab, etc. But little is 

 known of the habits of these Indian species, and nothing as to their breeding ; 

 although it is probable that in both these respects they conform closely to their 

 European cousin. The long-eared Afghan hedgehog (E. megalotis), common in 

 the neighborhood of Kandahar and Quetta, hibernates, but the species from the 

 Punjab and Southern India are active at all seasons of the year, thus showing how 

 absolutely dependent is the habit of hibernation upon climate. The collared hedge- 

 hog (E. collaris), found in the plains of Northwestern India, inhabits "sandy 

 country, hiding in holes beneath thorny bushes or in tufts of grass during the day, 

 feeding chiefly on insects, especially a species of Blaps, and also on lizards and 

 snails. It makes a grunting noise when irritated, and when touched suddenly 

 jerks up its back so as to throw its spines forward, making at the same time a 

 sound like a puff from a pair of bellows." Mr. Blanford just quoted, also states 

 that the Afghan hedgehog feeds on the slugs and snails so common in the fields 

 round Kandahar, as well as worms, insects, and lizards. It hides during the day in 

 holes; and hibernates from the end of October or beginning of November till 

 February. 



If we know but little of the habits of the Asiatic hedgehogs, this 

 lack of information is still more marked with respect to those of 

 Africa, where some species are found in the Cape district, and others in the regions 

 to the north of the Sahara (E. algirus}, and in Egypt, as well as on the West Coast. 

 One of these (E. albiventris} is peculiar in having lost the inner toe of the hind 

 foot ; although its claw has been found on one foot of an adult female from Images, 

 as well as on both feet of young specimens from the same locality. 



