208 ANIMALS OF THE 



them. " I have often," says he, " had the female 

 and her young brought me about the beginning 

 of June ; they are generally from three to five in 

 number ; they are white in the beginning, and 

 only the marks of their spines appear. I was 

 willing to rear some of them, and accordingly 

 put the dam and her young into a tub, with 

 abundant provision beside them ; but the old 

 animal, instead of suckling her young, devoured 

 them all, one after another. On another occa- 

 sion, a hedgehog that had made its way into the 

 kitchen, discovered a little pot, in which there 

 was meat prepared for boiling ; the mischievous 

 animal drew out the meat, and left its excrements 

 in the stead. I kept males and females in the 

 same apartment, where they lived together, but 

 never coupled. I permitted several of them to 

 go about my garden ; they did very little damage, 

 and it was scarcely perceivable that they were 

 there : they lived upon the fruits that fell from 

 the trees ; they dug the earth into shallow holes ; 

 they eat caterpillars, beetles, and worms ; they 

 were also very fond of flesh, which they devoured 

 boiled or raw." 



They couple in spring, and bring forth about 

 the beginning of summer. They sleep during 

 the winter ; and what is said of their laying up 

 provisions for that season is consequently false. 

 They at no time eat much, and can remain very 

 long without any food whatsoever. Their blood 

 is cold, like all other animals that sleep during 

 the winter. Their flesh is not good for food ; 

 and their skins are converted to scarcely any 



