HEDGEHOG KIND. 203 



mon mole, except in colour, which is black, mix- 

 ed with a deep purple. There are sometimes 

 white moles seen, particularly in Poland, rather 

 larger than the former. As their skin is so very 

 soft and beautiful, it is odd that it has not been 

 turned to any advantage. Agricola tells us, that 

 he saw hats made from it, the finest and the most 

 beautiful that could be imagined. 



CHAPTER V. 



OIF ANIMALS OF THE HEDGEHOG, OR 

 PRICKLY KIND. 



ANIMALS of the Hedgehog kind require but very 

 little accuracy to distinguish them from all others. 

 That hair which serves the generality of quadru- 

 peds for warmth and ornament, is partly wanting 

 in these, while its place is supplied by sharp spines 

 or prickles that serve for their defence. This ge- 

 neral characteristic, therefore, makes a much more 

 obvious distinction than any that can be taken from 

 their teeth or their claws.* Nature, by this extra- 

 ordinary peculiarity, seems to have separated them 

 in a very distinguished manner ; so that instead of 

 classing the hedgehog among the moles, or the 



[* These have two fore-teeth in the upper jaw, at a considerable distance 

 from one another, and two in the under jaw, less distant,: they have eight 

 grinders in each jaw, and recumbent dog-teeth on each side.] 



