THE HEDGEHOG 



found in a mowing field. Apparently the old 

 4 urchin ' had made the nursery under some 

 rubbish, an unusual site, for the mother 

 generally gathers a quantity of leaves and grass 

 down the warmest and snuggest rabbit hole 

 that she can find, evidently preferring the 

 quiet and safety of an underground nursery. 

 At any rate this hedgehog thought differently, 

 and the men who were cutting the hay heard a 

 faint peculiar squeaking, and going to the spot 

 found, under a heap of leaves and rubbish, an 

 old hedgehog and three young ones which 

 they brought to me. The little things seemed 

 about a week old ; they could not see yet, but 

 their spines had hardened, and they could 

 crawl about a little. All the time they kept 

 up their curiously shrill bird-like squeaking. 

 I put the babies into a small box out of which 

 their mother could climb easily. She was very 

 shy, curling up at the least movement, but as 

 she ate well that night, made a nice nest for 

 the family, and I found her suckling them the 

 following morning, I hoped all would be well. 

 All did go well for five days, then came the 

 tragedy ! I thought the old ' urchin ' had a 

 good deal of trouble to get in and out of the 

 sleeping box, so out of consideration for her I 



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