6 THE HEDGEHOG 



snails, frogs, worms, grubs and adult insects, varied with earth- 

 nuts and roots of various plants, such as wild hyacinth, beech-mast, 

 wild fruits, and herbage. In season, it also feeds upon young 

 rabbits, unearthing them while in " nest," very young hares, young 

 and small birds, eggs of all sorts come-at-able, and with a (< sweet 

 tooth " for the nest of the humble bee as well as that of the wild 

 honey bee, devouring the honey and combs. It, however, does very 

 little injury, even to game. 



When attacked by dogs or other enemies, the badger defends 

 itself with great resolution, and inflicts many severe wounds on 

 the aggressors before it is finally vanquished. It was formerly 

 and sometimes now is cruelly made sport of by dog fanciers, who 

 place it in an improvised hole in the ground or a long box, and set 

 their favourites to draw it cut. The skin of the badger is rather 

 valuable, the hair being used in the manufacture of brushes, and 

 its skin in is some request for holsters. 



FIG. 5. THE HEDGEHOG. 



HEDGEHOG (Erinaceus europczus), Fig. 5, is a native of most of 

 the temperate parts of Europe and Asia, and recognised by hav- 

 ing the body covered with spines instead of hairs. It belongs to 

 the same family, Talpidae, sub-family Erinacina, as the Shrews, and 

 has a long nose, the nostrils bordered on each side by a long flap, 

 ears short, rounded, naked and dusky ; the hind feet have five toes, 

 the upper part of the face, sides, and rump covered with strong, 

 coarse hair of a yellowish ash colour, the back with sharp strong 

 spines of a whitish tinge with a bar of black through the middle. 

 The animal is about 10 in. long, the tail about i in. The female 

 produces four or five young at a birth, which soon become covered 

 with prickles. 



The hedgehog resides in woods, coppices, thickets, hedges, and 

 shrubberies, whence it frequents fields, orchards and pleasure 

 grounds at night in quest of food. This consists of worms, slugs, 



