238 THE HEDGEHOG. 



Cows; and although the accusation is generally 

 believed by the common people to be founded in 

 truth, yet I could never hear of any person who 

 would pretend that he had himself been witness of 

 the fact. As to the latter, I can only state, that 

 several persons have at different times kept Hedge- 

 hogs, for a considerable while together, in their 

 gardens, and yet have never seen them either 

 attempt to climb into the fruit-trees, or to stick 

 even the fallen fruit upon their spines. 



When (as I have stated generally in the account 

 of the Urchin tribe,) this animal is attacked or 

 alarmed, it adopts a very singular mode of de- 

 fence. It puts its head under the breast, draws 

 together its four legs, and forms itself into a kind 

 of oblong ball, which presents only sharp spines 

 on every side. Whilst thus folded together, the 

 contraction of the muscles is so powerful, that it 

 would be almost as easy to tear a Hedgehog in 

 pieces, as, by force, to pull it open. It has been 

 remarked, that, when the feet of this animal are 

 pinched, it usually utters a shrill scream. But the 

 barbarity of anatomists has proved, that Hedge- 

 hogs may sometimes be even dissected alive, with- 

 out their emitting any sounds of distress whatever. 



At the commencement of winter, the Hedgehogs 

 form a deep and warm Jiybernaculum, chiefly of 

 moss, dried leaves, and grass. Into this they retire 

 as soon as the cold weather sets in; and they here 

 remain, in a torpid state, till the ensuing spring. 



The 



