THE HEDGEHOG. 263 



and so concealed by the spines, as to be scarce visible : the 

 head, back, and sides, are covered with prickles ; the nose, 

 breast, and belly, are covered with fine soft hair ; the legs are 

 short, of a dusky color, and almost bare ; the toes on each 

 foot are five in number, long and separated ; the prickles are 

 about an inch in length, and very sharp pointed ; their lower 

 part is white, the middle black, and the points white ; the 

 eyes are small, and placed high in the head ; the ears are 

 round, pretty large, and naked ; the mouth is small, but well 

 furnished with teeth ; these, however, it only uses in chewing 

 its food, but neither in attacking or defending itself against 

 other animals. Its only reliance in cases of danger, is on its 

 spines ; the instant it perceives an enemy, it puts itself into a 

 posture of defence, and keeps upon its guard until it supposes 

 the danger over. On such occasions, it immediately alters its 

 whole appearance : from its usual form, somewhat resembling 

 a small animal, with a bunch on its back, the animal begins 

 to bend its back, to lay its head upon its breast, to shut its 

 eyes, to roll down the skin of its sides towards the legs, to 

 draw these up, and lastly, to tuck them in every side, by 

 drawing the skin still closer. In this form, which the Hedge- 

 hog always puts on when disturbed, it no way resembles an 

 animal, but rather a roundish mass of prickles, impervious on 

 every side. The shape of the animal thus rolled up, some- 

 what resembles a chesnut in tbe husk ; there being, on one 

 side, a kind of flat space, which is that on which the head 

 and legs have been tucked in. 



Such is the usual appearance of the Hedgehog, upon the 

 approach of any danger. Thus rolled up in a lump, it pa- 

 tiently waits till its enemy passes by, or is fatigued with fruit- 

 less attempts to annoy it. The cat, the weasel, the ferret, and 

 the martin, quickly decline the combat ; and the dog himself 

 generally spends his time in empty menaces, rather than in 

 effectual efforts. Every increase of danger only increases the 

 animal's precautions to keep on its guard ; its assailant vainly 

 attempts to bite, since he thus more frequently feels than in- 

 flicts a wound ; he stands enraged and barking, and rolls it 



