138 THE HEDGEHOG. 



yet, from the peculiar manner in which they are 

 inserted, it requires more force to draw them out 

 than may be at first sight expected. The hair of 

 most creatures seems to arise from a bulbous root 

 fixed in the skin ; but the spines of the hedgehog 

 have their lower ends fined down to a thin neck or 

 thread, which, passing through a small orifice in 

 the skin, is secured on the under side by a round 

 head like that of a pin, or are riveted as it were, 

 by the termination being enlarged and rounded, 

 and these heads are all visible when the skin be- 

 comes dry, as if studded by small pins thrust 

 through. Hence they are moveable in all directions, 

 and resting upon the muscle of the creature, must 

 be the medium of a very sensible perception to the 

 animal, and more so than hair could be, which 

 does not seem to penetrate so far as the muscular 

 fibre. Now this little quadruped, upon suspicion 

 of harm, rolls itself up in a ball, hiding his nose 

 and eyes in the hollow of his stomach, and thus 

 the common organs of perception, hearing, seeing, 

 smelling, are precluded from action : but by the 

 sensibility of the spines, he seems fully acquainted 

 with every danger that may threaten him; and 

 upon any attempt to uncoil himself, if these spines 

 be touched, he immediately retracts, assuming his 

 globular form again, awaiting a more secure period 

 for retreat : 



