424 Practical Game Preserving. 



the ears as well as the eyes of the brood are closed until 

 from fourteen to twenty days. When about three months 

 old they are completely covered in their prickly armour, 

 but not until six months do they become full grown. 

 The young number from three to five. 



In addition to the usual nest, the female constructs 

 another wherein to bring forth and rear the young, and 

 this is a model of comfort and neatness, composed of moss, 

 lichen, and similar materials, and so thatched with leaves, 

 &c., as to be impervious to the sharp showers of rain 

 frequent in spring time. 



Having taken notice of the habits of the hedgehog, we 

 must now pass to the consideration of such means as must 

 be employed to compass its capture or destruction when 

 this becomes really necessary. It must be remembered, 

 however, that the hedgehog is undoubtedly a useful animal 

 in very many respects ; for, whether destroying the noxious 

 pests which infest the farmer's ground, or, when called 

 to domestication, consuming the black beetles and cock- 

 roaches of our kitchens, it is always cleanly and harmless. 

 It is only because we write in the interest of game 

 preserving that we mention the hedgehog and the means 

 of taking it. 



The gin is the only trap that is of service, and, what is 

 more, it is only by chance that the hedgehog becomes 

 caught, and therefore, whenever we notice evidence of 

 these animals frequenting a place, we may put half-a-dozen 

 or so of gins at rabbit holes or other likely places. The 

 hedgehog is peculiarly fond of working round and round 

 certain fields, and on every estate there are sure to be 



