WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



than one would expect; it can climb quite 

 steep banks in a surprising manner, and jog 

 along over uneven ground at a fairly good 

 pace, though not fast enough to get away from 

 any enemy, nor even to catch the youngest 

 of birds or rabbits, even supposing it wanted 

 to do so ! 



Strictly speaking the hedgehog is an insect- 

 eater, disposing of great quantities of beetles, 

 worms, and slugs in the course of a summer's 

 night. If you find little oval lumps of black 

 substance on the lawn in a morning, made up 

 of crunched beetles' wings, you may know 

 that a hedgehog was hunting the grass the 

 night before. Gardeners should always take 

 care of these animals, for they are a great help 

 to them, getting rid of more slugs than any- 

 thing else. While the man is finding and killing 

 half a dozen, the hedgehog will have nosed out 

 and eaten a score. But it is not called the pig 

 of the fences for nothing ; like its namesake it 

 does not mind what it eats, it is not at all 

 particular. If it should meet with some dead 

 animal, with carrion of any sort, it will not 

 waste the chance, but begin at once to make a 

 good meal. Its little sharp teeth, though 

 especially adapted for eating insects, do equally 

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