WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



wonderful how much stuff hedgehogs will ac- 

 cumulate in their holes, but it is not advisable 

 to examine the lining too carefully as it is 

 generally full of fleas ! It must be owned that 

 though this creature has many good points, 

 cleanliness is not one of them, and it is usually 

 swarming with exceedingly large and active 

 fleas, which are a special kind peculiar to itself. 

 When curled up in its snug bed an urchin will 

 often get some of the dry withered leaves stuck 

 on its prickles. I have seen them walking about 

 decorated in this way, but of course it is only an 

 accident, yet it has been said that the hedgehog 

 purposely rolls itself about in loose leaves, so 

 as to get a covering to keep out the cold ! 



As a matter of fact, when it is really cold 

 the animal does not venture out. It is one 

 of those creatures which hibernate, or sleep, 

 during the winter. The very fact of this 

 proves that it is really an insect eater, and that 

 meat is only eaten when accident throws it in 

 its way. During the summer, when insects 

 and grubs of all sorts are exceedingly plentiful, 

 it waxes fat. Night after night it gorges itself 

 with more good things than it really wants, 

 the unneeded food being stored away in its 

 body in the shape of fat. Masses of fat 



