Tenrecs.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



235 



The teeth consist of incisors, ^ ; canines, -j — : ; mo- 



the mole that its motions were very slew and de- 

 liberate ; it trips along, however, at a fair pace, and 

 travei-ses its underground runs and galleries with 

 great rapidity. 



The mole does not exist in the extreme north of 

 Scotland, in Zetland, or the Orkney Islands, nor has 

 it been seen in any part of Ireland. 



Varieties of this animal often occur: we have 

 examined specimens of a mouse-colour, of a white, 

 cream-white, and pale yellowish orfinge. 



1057, 1058. — The Cape Chrysochlore 



(Cliiysochlon's Capensis). The Mole is represented 

 in Alrica by the Chrysochlore, but the fore-paws are 

 only armed with three nails, of which the outer- 

 most is long, thick, arched, and pointed ; there is 

 no tail. This singular animal is le§s than a mole, 

 and appears to be entirely destitute of eyes. Its 

 velvety fur has a metallic lustre, changing from 

 dark green to bronze or copper in different lights. 

 This species is a native of Southern Africa, where 

 it lives like the mole in burrows, and feeds on 

 worms and insects. It is the Taupe doree of the 

 French. A second species, the Rufous Chrysochlore 

 (Ch. Hottentota), has been discovered by Dr. A. 

 Smith. 



1059. — The Thick-taileb Co^•DYHIRE, oe Stab- 

 nosed Mole 



(Conrii/ltira Macroura). The Condylures, or star- 

 nosed moles, are confined to North America ; they 

 closely resemble the common mole in their feet, 

 general aspect, and habits, but the tail is longer, 

 and the disc at the end of the snout is encircled by 

 little moveable cartilaginous processes like the 

 rays of a star. The eyes are extremely minute ; 

 external ears are wanting ; fur deep, thick, and line. 

 2 1—1 



'4' """•""" 



lars, ^3;^. (See Rg. 1060, teeth of C. cristata.) 



We have no minute, details respecting the man- 

 ners and instincts of the Chrysoch lores, of which 

 three species are distinguished : they are burrowing 

 animals, feeding upon worms and the larvae of in- 

 sects, &c. The thick-tailed Condylure was dis- 

 covered by Mr. David Douglas on the banks of the 

 Columbia River. The colour of the fur above is 

 deep lustrous brown, paler on the under parts. The 

 tail is contracted- at its root, whence it gradually 

 enlarges, and then tapers to a fine point. Length 

 of head and body, four inches and a half; of the 

 tail, two inches and a half. 



1061.— The Hedgehog 



(Erinacens Etiropams). Riccio of the Italians ; 

 Erizo of the Spanish ; Ourizo of the Portuirnese ; 

 Herisson of the French: Igel of the Germans; Eegel- 

 varken of the Dutch ; Pin-suin of the Danes ; Drae- 

 nog and Draen y coed of the ancient British ; 

 Urchin, Provincial English; "Ex'tos of the Greeks. 

 It is superfluous to enter into an elaborate descrip- 

 tion of this spine-covered animal ; all are well 

 acquainted with its external characters, and all 

 know that it has the power of rolling itself up into 

 a ball, presenting an array of serried spines formi- 

 dable to its antagonist. A peculiar muscular ex- 

 pansion beneath the skin enables the hedgehog 

 thus completely to enshroud itself in its panoply, as 

 in a hood, the margin of which is closed by means 

 of a circular muscle, the head and limbs being 

 retracted within. While the animal is thus en- 

 veloped in its armed skin, the spines are stiffly set 

 by the action of the muscular expansion, and 

 radiate from the ball : and such is the strength and 

 elasticity of this covering, that a hedgehog may 

 roll down a steep place or precipitous bank without 

 the slightest injury. Mr. Bell assures us that he 

 has repeatedly seen a domesticated hedgehog in his 

 possession run towards the precipitous wall of an 

 area, and without hesitation or a moment's pause 

 for preparSition throw itself off, contracting at the 

 same instant into a ball, in which condition it 

 reached the ground from a height of twelve or 

 fourteen feet, when, after a few moments, it would 

 unfold itself and run off unhurt. The hedgehog is 

 nocturnal in its habits : it frequents woods, copses, 

 old gardens, orchards, and thick hedgerows, where 

 it remains rolled up in its retreat during the day, 

 coming forth on the approach of twilight, and con- 

 tinuing on the alert till morning. Its motions are 

 quick and irregular, and its pace a sort of heavy 

 paddling, the body being close to the ground, and 

 the feet plantigrade. Its food consists of insects, 

 slugs, frogs, toads, mice, and even snakes ; to which 

 it adds eggs, young nestlings, and various kinds of 

 vegetables, »3 the roots of grass and plantain, and 

 ripe orchard-fruits which fall from the trees. White 

 notices the manner in which it bores with its snout, 

 to get at the root of the plantain, which it eats, 

 leaving the tuft of leaves untouched. In the first 



volume of the ' Zoological Journal ' is the narrative, 

 from the pen of Mr. Broderip, of an experiment 

 made by Professor Buckland, relative to the de- 

 struction of snakes by the hedgehog, from whicli it 

 would appear that the cunning quadruped makes a 

 sudden attack on the reptile, and giving it a hard 

 bite, instantly rolls i'self up for safety, then cau- 

 tiously unfolds, and inflicts another wound, repeating 

 its attacks till the snake is " scotched," its back-bone 

 being broken in several places; it next passes the 

 body of the snake gradually through its jaws, crack- 

 ing the bones at short intervals, which done, it pro- 

 ceeds to eat its victim as one would eat a radish, 

 beginning with the tip of the tail, and slowly pro- 

 ceeding upwards. We have frequently seen hedge- 

 hogs eat frogs, rapidly crunching their bones with 

 an audible noise. The hedgehog may be easily 

 domesticated, and becomes familiar, feeding on 

 soaked bread, vegetables, and meat; it is useful in 

 kitchens, which it eftectually clears of crickets, 

 cockroaches, beetles, &c., and as it keeps quiet in 

 its nest or retreat all day, produces itself nd incon- 

 venience. Superstitious ignoiance, as in the case 

 of the poor little shrew, has led to the cruel per- 

 secution of the hedgehog, because, forsooth, it was 

 (and in some places still is) believed to drain dry 

 the udders of ihe cows during the night, to the 

 surprise of the milkmaid and the indignation of the 

 farmer. To the Slow- worm and the Fern-owl 

 (Caprimulgus) the same mischievous habits have 

 also been attributed, the physical impossibility of 

 their committing such a theft being overlooked or 

 not appreciated. With respect to the hedgehog, 

 this accusation, as Mr. Bell observes, is about as 

 well founded as that by Pliny, and exaggerated by 

 Sperling, who asserts that it ascends trees, knocks 

 off the apples and pears (jElian says figs), and 

 throwing itself down upon them so that they may 

 stick to its spines, trots off with the prize. 



The hedgehog hybernates, passing the winter in 

 a state of complete torpidity. It makes its retreat 

 in banks under the hollow roots of trees, in holes or 

 other sheltered and convenient places, constructing 

 a sort of nest or bed of grasses, dried leaves, and 

 moss ; with these it covers itself deeply and closely, 

 and when discovered hybernating resembles a ball 

 or roundish mass of herbage, which it seems to have 

 attached to its spines by repeatedly rolling itself 

 round amidst the heap it had stored up. 



The female breeds early in the summer, forming 

 an artful nest, roofed so as to throw off the rain ; 

 within, it is well lined with leaves and moss. The 

 young, from two to four in number, are blind at their 

 birth, about two inches long, perfectly white, and 

 naked, though the rudiments of the prickles are 

 perceptible. These soon develop themselves, and 

 harden even before the eyes are opened, but it is 

 not till a later period that the young are able to 

 draw down the skin over Ihe muzzle, and fold them- 

 selves into a complete ball. The mother is devoted 

 to her offspring, and unremitting in her duties. 

 Formerly the flesh of the hedgehog was eaten in 

 our island, and is so still on some parts of the Con- 

 tinent. An intimate friend of the writer had one 

 dressed and served up for dinner, and assured us 

 that it was excellent ; we must, however, remember 

 the old adage " De gustibus," &c. : few, we think, 

 would willingly partake of such " small deer." The 

 Romans made use of the spiny skin of the hedge- 

 hog in hackling hemp for the weaving of cloth. 



The hedgehog is found in most parts of Europe ; 

 its length, when full grown, is about nine inches and 

 a half. Fig. 1062 represents the skull. The den- 

 tition is as follows : — Incisors, ;:, the two middle the 



u 



3 3 



longest ; false molars, - — - ; molars with acute 



O'—O 



3 3 ] 1 



tubercles, - — -„ ; small tuberculous molars, — r. 

 o — o 1 — 1 



Closely allied to the genus Erinaceus is the genus 

 Centetes, 111. (Centenes, Desm. ; Setiger, Geoff.), 

 which comprehends certain hedgehog-like animals, 

 confined, as far as we know, to the Mauritius and 

 Madagascar. They are covered with spines, but 

 these spines are feebler than those of the hedge- 

 hog, nor do the animals enjoy so completely the 

 power of rolling themselves up into a ball. They 

 differ moreover in their dentition, the incisors 



,.•64 .1-1 , 6—6 



being - or 7 ; canines, :: — r ; molars, - — -. bee 

 6 4 1 — 1 D — b 



Fig. 106.3. The muzzle is long and pointed ; the tail 



wanting. These animals hybernate during the dry 



season, when their natural food, insects and worms, 



fail, and revive on the return of the rainy season. 



In their habits they are nocturnal. 



1064.— The Tenrkc, or Tanbec 



(Centetes ecauftatm, Cuv. ; Erinaceus ecaudatus, 

 Linn.). This species exceeds our hedgehog in size, 

 and is covered above with long flexible spines ex- 

 cept on the top of the head ; the under parts are 



clad with yellowish bristly hairs, a few black ones 

 being intermixed. 



The Tenrec is a native of Madagascar, but has 

 been naturalized in the Mauritius. Of its habits 

 we have but imperfect details. On June 14, 1831, 

 a letter respecting these animals, addressed to the 

 Zoological Society, and dated Port Louis, December 

 15, 1830, was read at the scientific meeting. It 

 referred to previous unsuccessful attempts on the 

 part of the Society's valuable correspondent to 

 transport from the Mauritius to England living 

 Gouramies and Tanrecs, and promised a repetition 

 of the experiment. Mr. Telfair states that he has 

 now a pair of living Tanrecs, fully grown, ready to 

 send to England when he can place them under 

 proper care. "They live on boiled rice, but will 

 probably not exist long upon that alone, as their 

 natural food is chiefly composed" of worms, insects, 

 lizards, and the eggs of snails, of which it would 

 be difficult to carry a sufficient supply in a living 

 state on board ship. Fresh supplies might, how- 

 ever, be obtained at Madagascar or the Cape of 

 Good Hope, at St. Helena, Ascension, and the Cape 

 de Verd Islands ; and the animals might thus arrive 

 in good health in England, where they would pro- 

 bably survive for some time, burrowing under a 

 dungheap, or living in straw in a hothouse or 

 greenhouse. An opportunity would lluis be fur- 

 nished of observing their habits. In the Mauritius 

 they sleep through the greater part of the winter, 

 from April to November, and are only to be found 

 when summer heat is felt, which being generally 

 ushered in by an electric state of the atmosphere, 

 the negroes (with whom they are a favourite food) 

 say they are awakened by the peals of thunder 

 which precede the summer storms or "pluies 

 d'orage." Even in summer they are not often seen 

 beyond the holes in which they burrow, except at 

 night. Their favourite haunts are among the old 

 roots of clumps of bamboos. They have a veiy 

 overpowering smell of musk at all times, which is 

 increased to an extraordinary degree when they are 

 disturbed or frightened ; yet their flesh is con- 

 sidered so savoury by the negroes, that they are 

 unwilling to sell those which they catch, and would 

 not exchange it for any other food, except perhaps 

 for the " ouiite," which is the catfish hung up in 

 the sun until it acquires a most fetid smell, tainting 

 the atmosphere to a great distance ; in this state it 

 is a chief ingredient in their favourite ragout." 



1065. — The Stbipkd Tenrec 



(Centetes semispinosus). This species is of small 

 size : the head is very conical ; the muzzle elon- 

 gated and pointed ; the body is clothed with a 

 mixture of spines and bristles, and is banded lon- 

 gitudinally yellow and black. Native country, 

 Madagascar. 



1066.— The Spiny Tenrec, ob Texdeac 



(Centetes spinosus) ; Ericulus nigrescens ? of Isidore 



4 7—7 



GeofFroy. Incisors, - ; molars, = — -. 



The tendrac of BufFon is more like a hedgehog in 

 appearance than are the two previous species. It 

 is covered above with close, short, stiff' spines, and 

 with bristle-like hairs on the under parts. The 

 spines are of a deep mahogany colour, whitish at 

 the root and point. Under-parts yellowish-white. 

 Native country, Madagascar, where ,it is said to 

 make a burrow in the neighbourhood of fresh or 

 salt water ; its habits resemble those of the rest 

 of its race, and it is acceptable to the negroes as 

 food. 



An insectivorous animal allied to the Tendrac, 

 and called Sokinah at Madagascar, will be found 

 described and figured under the name of Echinops 

 Telfairi, Martin, in the 'Trans. Zool. Soc.,' vol. ii., 

 p. 249, and characterised in the ' Zool. Proceeds.,' 

 1838, p. 17. Of its habits and manners no accounts 

 have been obtained, but from the rigidness of the 

 spines, and the development of the muscular sub- 

 cutaneous expansion (Panniculus carnosus), it ap- 

 pears probable that this animal has, like the hedge- 

 hog, the power of rolling itself up into a ball, which 

 is not the case with the tenrec. 



1067.— The GYMNtiRK 



(Gymnura Eafflesii). Of the genus Gymnura (Hors- 

 field and Vigors) one species only is at present 

 recognised. It is a native of Sumatra, and its intro- 

 duction to science is due to the late Sir T. Stamford 

 Raffles, who first described it under the title of 

 Viverra Gymnura. Cuvier observes that it appears 

 to approach Cladobates (Tupaia) in its teetli, and 

 the shrews in its muzzle and scaly tail. The toes 

 are five in number on each foot ; the eyes are small ; 

 the whiskers long ; the fur consists of a short dense 

 woolly undercoat, and long coarse thinly-set hairs. 

 The body, legs, first half of the tail, and a stripe 



2 H 2 



