THE SOUTH AFRICAN HEDGEHOG 



(Erinaceus frontalis) 



ALTHOUGH there are a considerable number of 

 species or kinds of hedgehogs, only one is found in 

 South Africa. Two species inhabit Central and 

 Northern Africa. One, viz. the well-known Euro- 

 pean Hedgehog, is native of the British Isles, Europe 

 and a portion of Asia ; and several species have their 

 habitat in India. 



The hedgehogs are divided up into so many 

 species or kinds because of minor peculiarities of 

 structure. In general appearance they differ but 

 slightly from each other. 



The South African Hedgehog occurs from the 

 midlands of the Cape Province northwards as far 

 as Benguela. In Natal it is rather rare, or at least 

 I have found it so. I have only met with it in the 

 neighbourhood of Pietermaritzburg. At the Port 

 Elizabeth Museum we have received twenty or 

 more live specimens from the Kimberley, Steyns- 

 burg, Middelburg and Cradock Districts of the 

 Cape Province. It seems to be commonest on the 

 Karoo-veld. 



Life upon this planet is truly a survival of the 

 fittest, and in the sub-human animal kingdom the 



VOL. iv 17 2 



