HEDGEHOG KIND. 2L5 



cane chair, they embroider with these their belts, 

 baskets, and several other necessary pieces of fur- 

 niture. 



As to the rest, there are many things related 

 concerning this animal that are fabulous ; but 

 there are still many circumstances more that yet 

 remain to be known. It were curious to inquire 

 whether this animal moults its quills when wild, 

 for it is never seen to shed them in a domestic 

 state ; whether it sleeps all the winter, as we are 

 told by some naturalists, which we are sure it does 

 not when brought into our country ; and, lastly, 

 whether its quills can be sent off with a shake, 

 for no less a naturalist than Reaumur was of that 

 opinion. 



All that we can learn of an animal exposed as 

 a show, or even by its dissection, is but merely its 

 conformation ; and -that makes one of the least in- 

 teresting parts of its history. We are naturally led, 

 when presented with an extraordinary creature, 

 to expect something extraordinary in its way of 

 living, something uncommon, and corresponding 

 with its figure ; but of this animal we know little 

 with any precision, except what it offers in a state 

 of captivity. In such a situation, that which I 

 saw appeared to very little advantage ; it was ex- 

 tremely dull and torpid, though very wakeful ; 

 and extremely voracious, though very capable of 

 sustaining hunger ; as averse to any attachment 

 as to being tamed : it was kept in an iron cage, 

 and the touching one of the bars was sufficient to 

 excite its resentment, for its quills were instantly 

 erected ; and the poet was right in his epithet of 



