THE HEDGEHOG. 131 



winter, covering itself deeply in moss and leaves, 

 it sleeps during the severe weather ; and, when 

 drawn out from its bed, scarcely anything of the 

 creature is to be observed, it exhibiting only a ball 

 of leaves, which it seems to attach to its spines by 

 repeatedly rolling itself round in its nest. Thus 

 comfortably invested, it suffers little from the 

 season. Some strong smell must proceed from this 

 animal, as we find it frequently, with our sporting 

 dogs, even in this state ; and every village boy 

 with his cur detects the haunts of the poor hedge- 

 hog, and as assuredly worries and kills him. Kill- 

 ing everything, and cruelty, are the common 

 vices of the ignorant ; and unresisting innocence 

 becomes a ready victim to prejudice or power. 

 The snake, the blindworm, and the toad, are all 

 indiscriminately destroyed as venomous animals 

 whenever found ; and it is well for the last-men- 

 tioned poor animal, which, Boyle says, t( lives on 

 poison, and is all venom," if prolonged sufferings 

 do not finish its being: but even we, who should 

 know better, yet give rewards for the wretched 

 urchin's head ! that very ancient prejudice of its 

 drawing milk from the udders of resting cows 

 being still entertained, without any consideration 

 of its impracticability from the smallness of the 

 hedgehog^s mouth ; and so deeply is this character 

 associated -with its name, that we believe no argu- 

 ment would persuade to the contrary, or remon- 

 strance avail with our idle boys, to spare the life 



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