THE HEDGEHOG. 241 



blind when they were brought. He observes, that 

 at their birth, the spines of Hedgehogs must doubt- 

 less be soft and flexible, or else the dam must have 

 but a bad time in parturition. But it is plain that 

 they must soon harden; for these young ones had 

 such stiff prickles on their backs and sides, as would 

 have fetched blood, had the animals not been 

 handled with caution. The spines at this age are 

 perfectly white ; and the animals have little hang- 

 ing ears, which Mr. White says he did not recol- 

 lect to be observable in old Hedgehogs. At this 

 early age they could, in part, draw their skin 

 down over their faces; but they were not able 

 to contract themselves into a ball, from the mus- 

 cles not haying arrived at their full tone and 

 firmness*. 



Hedgehogs live in pairs; and the females pro- 

 duce their young ones, usually four or five in 

 number, some time in the spring of the year. 

 The nest is large, and composed principally of 

 moss. 



The flesh of the Hedgehog is occasionally used 

 as food, and is said to be very delicate eating. 

 The skin was sometimes employed by the ancients, 

 in the place of a brush, for the cleaning of clothes. 

 In some parts of the continent it is customary for 



White's Works in Natural History, i. p. 131, 132. 



R the 



