12 ANIMAL LIFE OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



and stumpy little tail which is shorter even than the short 

 rounded ear. The head and underside are clothed with harsh 

 fur of a dirty brown or dirty white colour. In Devon and 

 Cornwall it is known as Furze-a-boar. It expresses its feelings 

 by means of a quiet grunt ; the youngsters by a squeak. 



The adult male Hedgehog is about nine and a quarter inches 

 in measurement of head and body, and the tail is a little over an 

 inch ; the female is less than the male by about three-quarters 

 of an inch. In relation to its entire bulk it weighs one and a 

 half pounds the neck and body are said to be shorter than in 



Skeleton of Hedgehog:. 



any other British mammal. The eyes are bright and prominent. 

 The legs are so short that the body but little more than clears 

 the ground in walking. Both hand and foot has five clawed 

 toes, and five pads on the sole. 



The sharply pointed spines are about three-quarters of an inch 

 in length. They are quite hard, and have from twenty-two to 

 twenty-four longitudinal grooves. They have a hemispherical 

 base above which is a narrow neck sharply bent, so that the 

 spine is almost at right angles with the base. 



When attacked the Hedgehog has the skunk-like habit of 

 emitting a highly objectionable odour in order to disgust its 

 assailant. 



