THE HEDGEHOG. 289 



Mode of defence. 



or agility, he neither attempts to flee from, nor 

 to assail his enemies; but erects his bristles, and 

 rolls himself up like a ball, exposing no part of 

 his body that is not covered with these sharp 

 Weapons. He will not unfold himself unless 

 thrown into water ; and the more he is frightened 

 or harassed, the closer he shuts himself up. 

 While in this state, most dogs, instead of biting 

 him, stand at a distance and bark, not daring to 

 seize him ; and, if they attempt it once, their 

 mouths are so pricked with his bristles, that it is 

 with difficulty they can be prevailed upon to do 

 it a second time. He is easily taken ; for he nei- 

 ther attempts to flee, nor to defend himself by 

 any other means than this. Thus, after spend 

 ing some time in empty menaces, they leave the 

 hedgehog where they found him; who, perceiv- 

 ing the danger past, at length peeps out from 

 his ball, and, if not interrupted, creeps slowly to 

 his retreat. 



The hedgehog may be in some degree domes- 

 ticated, and has been frequently introduced into 

 houses for the purpose of expelling those trouble- 

 some insects the cock-roaches, which it pursues 

 with avidity. Among the Calmuc Tartars these 

 animals supply the place of cats; and we are 

 told of a hedgehog formerly in the possession of 

 an innkeeper, in Northumberland, which ran 

 about the house with the utmost familiarity, and 

 even performed the duty of a turn-spit as well as 

 the dog of that denomination. M. BufFon,how* 



NO. VII. 2 O 



