THE HEDGEHOG* 



URCHIN. 



HEDGEHOGS usually reside in thickets, hedges, 

 or the bottoms of dry ditches, where they can 

 find shelter and concealment under bushes and 

 fern. By far the greatest part of their time is passed 

 in" sleep. As soon as they awake,, which is always 

 in the evening, or during the night, they issue 

 from their holes in search of food. This consists 

 of worms, snails, insects and their larva, and various 

 kinds of roots and herbsf. In the day time they 

 are very seldom to be seen abroad. 



These most harmless of all animals, have unjustly 

 been accused of sucking the teats of Sheep and 

 Cows ; and likewise of ascending trees for the pur- 

 po&e of carrying off fruit on the points of their 

 prickles. With respect to the former accusation, 

 it is to be remarked, that their mouths are much 

 too small to admit of their seizing the teats of 



* Erinaceus Europeus. Linnceus. LeHerisson. Buffon. 

 For the description of the Hedgehog, see the Synopsis, p. 38, 

 No. 23. 



f In confinement, they will devour flesh-meat, either raw or 

 cooked. 



Cows; 



