EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG. 545 



lity of the flesh, which, it seems, is cold in the 

 first degree ! ! ! 



The Hedgehog is generally considered as a 

 harmless inoffensive animal, but has been fre- 

 quently supposed (and to this day the notion pre- 

 vails in many places) to suck the teats of cows 

 by night, and thus cause by its prickles those ex- 

 ulcerations which are sometimes seen on cattle. 

 From this accusation, however, it is completely 

 absolved by Mr. Pennant, who observes, that its 

 mouth is by far too small to admit of this prac- 

 tice. The Count de Buffon considers it as a crea- 

 ture of a malignant disposition, and observes, that 

 one which he kept in a state of confinement in. 

 a tub, devoured its young ones, though sup- 

 plied with proper food : this, however, is a pheno- 

 menon in natural histoiy which occasionally takes 

 place with several other animals. 



The cruel practice of vivisection, so common 

 among the more ancient anatomists, and too fre- 

 quent even among modern ones, shews, in a strik- 

 ing manner, the patience of this creature under 

 the most excruciating torture, since it has been 

 known to undergo this severe operation without 

 uttering any voice of distress. 



{l Clavis terebrari sibi pedes, & discindi viscera 

 patientissime ferebat; omnes cultri ictus sine 

 gemitu, plusquam Spartana nobilitate concoquens." 

 Borrichius in Bias, de Echino. 



As a curious example of the absurdities which 

 sometimes occur in the works of the older writers, 

 we may observe, that, according to Albertus 



