HEDGEHOG. 



717 



state. A large portion of this fat collects immediately 

 over, and no doubt protects from the severity of the 

 weather, that muscular disc to which we have alluded 

 as being the organ by means of which the animal 

 rolls itself into a ball. This is a very wise provision 

 of nature, because this circular disc is really the most 

 important muscle in the whole body of the animal. 

 A hedgehog cannot defend itself against even a feeble 

 enemy by active means, neither can it escape by 

 running ; and, therefore, its only defence is to pre- 

 sent its bristling armour to the enemy ; and unless it 

 is put in water, it can remain with its body contracted 

 for a considerable length of time. 



Hedgehogs have been represented as inhabiting 

 other parts of the world besides Europe and Asia, 

 as, for instance, an American species has often been 

 alluded to ; but, as there are many rodent animals 

 which have their hair or fur intermixed with spines, 

 the probability is, that some of these may have been 

 mistaken for true hedgehogs, for we believe there is 

 no well authenticated instance of any one being 

 found out of the localities to which we have alluded. 

 We shall now very briefly notice the species. 



THE COMMON HEDGEHOG (E. Europtsus). The 

 common hedgehog is about ten inches in length 

 exclusively of the tail, which is not an inch long, and 

 wholly concealed by spines. It is common in most 

 of the temperate parts of Europe and Asia, and found 

 also in some parts of Africa ; at least such is stated, 

 hut. it. is, at all events, not numerous in that country 

 The nose is dusky black, scattered over with a few- 

 hairs, and shaped like the nose of a hog-, and, like 

 that, adapted fur "rooting" or turning up the ground. 

 All the upper parts of the body and the sides are 

 closely covered wiih strong spines of about an inch 

 in length, very sharp at the points, having the lower 

 part white, t.he middle black, and the tips white. 

 They are nocturnal, and reside chiefly in woods, 

 fields, and gardens, affecting the roots and decayed 

 trunks of trees, fissures of rocks, and heaps of stones 

 and rubbish that have been gathered in meadows, 

 During the cold season they retire into holes for 

 hybernating, where they wrap themselves up in 

 leaves and moss, and, consequently, dispensing with 

 those stores of provisions which it has been errone- 

 ously alleged they lay up for themselves. They are 

 never observed to drink, and they are capable of en- 

 during protracted hunger, even in their most active 

 moments. The hedgehog is mild in its manners, inof- 

 fensive and timid ; and the more that it is threatened 

 with molestation or danger, the more closely it shelters 

 itself under its coat of prickles. Such is the contrac- 

 tile power of muscle with which it is endowed, that 

 one will sooner be able to tear than uncoil it, unless 

 by plunging it into water, when it swims with con- 

 siderable ease. Though this little harmless creature 

 is not insensible to pain, it has been known to undergo 

 the cruel process of viviscation without a single groan. 

 It is said that foxes contrive to coax the hedgehogs 

 out of the defence of their armour, in order to devour 

 them ; but we are not aware that any one ever saw 

 this put in practice ; and therefore, the probability is, 

 that it belongs to that class of gratuitous instances of 

 cunning which have been so copiously ascribed to the 

 tbx. The boldest of the dogs, even the bull-dog, 

 which will attack the most powerful enemy, and per- 

 severe to the death, can make very little of the 

 hedgehog. There have been instances in which dogs 

 of this species have laid hold of the animals and 



shaken them till the muscles relaxed, and the cover- 

 ing was contracted on the back ; but no sooner did 

 this take place, and it happened only when the dog 

 had thrown the animal so that it alighted on the 

 ground, than the protecting armour was again con 

 tracted ; and the dog, in attempting to seize the 

 animal a second time, had his mouth so much lacerated 

 with the spines as to be covered with blood, and he 

 was ultimately forced to give up attempting to bite 

 the hedgehog, and confine his attack to barking at it, 

 which is not an uncommon habit with dogs, and they 

 appear thereby to attempt frightening that which they 

 cannot conquer. It is, in all probability, upon this 

 principle that dogs which are cowardly in fight are 

 always the most given to barking. 



During the day, hedgehogs never move aoout, 

 unless compelled by some accident; at this time they 

 rest in holes of the earth, at the roots of bushes, under 

 leaves, or in grass or other tall herbage, which affords 

 them protection ; and while thus reposing they are 

 always rolled up. In consequence of this habitual 

 retirement and repose during the day, they are less 

 frequent to lie seen in proportion to their numbers 

 than perhaps any other animals ; and therefore, even 

 to the country people, in those districts where they 

 are most abundant, a hedgehog is so seldom seen, that 

 when the rustics get hold of one they hardly know 

 what to do with it. A case occurred recently in one 

 of the southern counties of England, which shows 

 nnon how slender grounds the name of being learned 

 mav oe acquired among such people ; and also how 

 readily a mere name, which really has no meaning 

 whatever, is sometimes accepted as a substitute for 

 knowledge. Some rustics engaged at haymaking or 

 harvest work, it matters not which, found a hedgehog 

 snugly rolled up in its spherical form, and so bristled 

 over with spines that even their hard hands could not 

 touch it with impunity. What it was they were 

 utterly at a loss to determine ; but at length one old 

 woman mentioned that her Joe had been three weeks 

 at a Sunday school, was " lamed " in consequence, 

 and she was sure he could help them in their per- 

 plexity. The rustic scholar was sent for, and surveyed 

 the hedgehog with as widely wondering eyes and 

 month as it had been surveyed by any of the others 

 and while he did this the group waited as wistfully 

 for his response as the ancients did for those of the 

 Delphic oracle. Having finished his survey, he de- 

 clared, in the most solemn manner, " I'm sarten it's a 

 sum-mat." " There now," said the exulting mother, 

 " didn't I know as Joe wart gy' un a neame" The name 

 was perfectly satisfactory to the audience ; and the 

 simple youth was at once elevated to the rank of 

 village philosopher ; and it is not improbable that in. 

 more pretending classes, philosophic honours nave 

 sometimes been acquired on grounds not substantially 

 differing very much from those above stated ; and 

 therefore the'naming of the hedgehog contains a good 

 moral, if we only knew how to bring it out. 



The whole covering of the hedgehog does not con- 

 sist of spines, for under them there is a close and 

 curly fur ; and it seems as though the insect world 

 took vengeance upon an animal which destroys so 

 many of their race, for the fur of the hedgehog is 

 very much infested with ticks, which are as large as 

 those that inhabit the fur of the dog ; and the animal 

 appears to have no means of getting rid of them but 

 by taking to the water, in which it can swim with 

 considerable ease. The muzzle, the borders of the 



