THE HEDGEHOG 71 



catchers, knowing this, are able to tell in which 

 direction the new work is proceeding, and place 

 their traps in the run ; and so when the mole 

 resumes his labours he releases the spring (whether 

 the trap be of iron, or the older fashioned hazel- 

 rod and snare), and is caught, much to his own 

 dismay and to the satisfaction of the mole-catcher, 

 who snips off his tail, transferring it to his waist- 

 coat pocket, and reckons that he has increased 

 his income by so many more pennies. 



The hedgehog, or hedgepig, is another of 

 our animals which is most unjustly maligned, 

 numberless iniquities being laid to its charge. 

 Prejudice is difficult to eradicate, and absurh 

 though it may appear, the belief that it damages 

 the udders of cows by sucking them is still 

 prevalent in many of our rural districts. It is 

 also accused of destroying eggs. I regret to 

 say that I am unable to disprove this allegation 

 as little as to prove its truth, and I fear it may 

 not be altogether unfounded, inasmuch as the 

 hedgehog, although classified by naturalists as 

 being an insectivorous animal, is by no means 

 exclusively so. Its principal food consists of 

 insects, but it will eat well-nigh anything worms, 

 slugs, snails, and reptiles of all sorts. Those 

 which I have kept from time to time were ex- 

 tremely fond of bread-and-milk. They are most 

 useful in houses which are infested with black- 

 beetles, and are very easily tamed ; but they have 

 an unfortunate habit of hiding themselves away 



