376 -THE STORY OF THE HEDGEHOG. 



broken in several places ; it then began at the tail, and ate the snake gradually, 

 as one would eat a radish. 



The hedgehog also feeds on earthworms, slugs and snails, and in destroy- 

 ing the latter it may certainly be regarded as a friend toi the gardener. The 

 consumption of earthworms is performed in a rather curious manner. These 

 animals are seized when they are enjoying the damp freshness of the air out 

 of their holes, in summer evenings, and slowly passed intO' the mouth of 

 their enemy from one end tO' the other, apparently by the simple process of 

 mastication with the molar teeth, the unconsumed portion of the wo^rm being 

 constantly transferred from one side of the month to^ the other, so that both 

 sides of the jaw may come intO' play. This must be an unpleasant operation 

 for the worm, much as its captor may enjoy it. It is uncertain whether the 

 larger snails are eaten by the hedgehog, but the smaller species certainly form 

 a portion of its diet. 



The new-born young are almost naked, and their imperfect spines are 

 soft, flexible and white, although rapidly hardening in the course of a few 

 days. They are at first totally blind, and quite inca4Dable of rolling themselves 

 up. The nest in which the young are born is carefully constructed, and is 

 said to be always protected from; rain by an efficient roof. In winter the 

 European hedgehog hibernates completely, laying up noi store of food, but 

 retiring to a nest of moss and leaves, where, rolled up in a ball, it lies torpid till 

 awakened by the returning warmth of spring. 



The flesh of the hedgehog is said to- be good eating, and the Gypsies fre- 

 quently make it a part of their diet, as do^ the people in some parts of the 

 continent. 



There is a peculiar method of preparing the animal for food, strongly re- 

 minding one of the earth ovens used by the Polynesians. The hedgehog is 

 simply wrapped up in a mass of clay and put on the fire. In process of time 

 the clay is thoroughly baked, and cracks open, when the hedgehog is supposed 

 to be cooked. On opening the clay, the skin comes off with it, while the in- 

 sides of the animal have formed themselves into a hard ball, and are taken 

 out entire. By this method O'f cooking the juices are retained, and not suffered 

 to dissipate, as they would if it were roasted. 



The common hedgehog is characterized by the short and almost imper- 

 ceptible neck, the pig-like snout, from which it derives its popular name, and 

 also by the shortness of its limbs. Exclusive of the short naked tail, which 

 measures about one and one-half inches, an average-sized hedgehog is about 

 ten inches in length. The great peculiarity of all the hedgehogs is the power 



