WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



parishes included it among the vermin for the 

 killing of which they offered rewards. As 

 much as twopence and even fourpence each was 

 paid for urchins. Yet any one who will take 

 the trouble to go out on a summer evening to 

 any spot where he thinks there are hedgehogs, 

 and wait, and watch, for a bit, will see for 

 himself what useful creatures they really are. 

 As long as you keep quite still the animal will 

 not see you, for its eyesight is not good, 

 and when intent on hunting and ground 

 scents it takes no notice of a person. One 

 evening, about 8.30, I met a hedgehog just 

 starting out on its night's ramble. It did not 

 see me and walked on towards me, turning 

 aside to nose first in one hollow and then in 

 another. It was noticeable how poor its 

 sight was, for it showed no sign of knowing of 

 my presence until only a yard off. Then it 

 stopped and listened intently, its spines began 

 to rise along its back, and its sharp nose slowly 

 sank between its paws, being the first steps in 

 preparation for rolling up. However I kept 

 quite still, and at the end of three minutes 

 it raised its head, licked its lips thrice 

 with its red tongue, turned round, and began 

 to hunt again. It was just like a little pig, 



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