^be 1Tttsec1>]£atinG Hnimals. 



SIXTH ORDER: Insectivora. 



]HE Insect - Eating animals 

 are small creatures, mostly 

 of a striking appearance, 

 whose mode of progres- 

 sion is plantigrade; they 

 are distinguished by an 

 elongated head and a nose 

 prolonged so as to par- 

 take of the character of 

 a proboscis. The body, as 

 a rule, is of stout build; the 

 fore limbs are regular, the 

 tail in some species is 

 short, the hind limbs long, 

 the organs of sense may be highly developed or 

 stunted; the texture of the fur includes every variety 

 between velvety softness and a coat bristling with 

 spines. The teeth are of all three kinds; but the 

 incisors differ materially in number and shape in the 

 different groups and varieties; the canines attain an 

 astonishing length in some species, while in others 

 they are smaller than the incisors; only the molars 

 show uniformity to the extent of being single pointed 

 in front and furnished with several cusps behind. 

 The feet are usually provided with five toes, the 

 development of which, as well as that of the wrist 

 and ankle joints, varies materially. Of the muscles, 

 that which serves to rotate the skin (especially devel- 

 oped in some species), is deserving of mention. 

 General Traits The Insectivora are dull, sulky, dis- 

 ci/ Insecti- trustful and timid creatures of soli- 

 vores. tary tendencies and possessed of a 



violent temper. By far the larger number live under 

 ground, digging and rooting, or at least keeping 

 from view in secluded hiding places; some, however, 

 inhabit the water and some live on trees. Their 

 astonishing activity puts a successful check on the 

 increase of harmful insects and worms, Snails and 

 other animals of low development, and even some 

 small rodents. Therefore, they are all, nearly with- 

 out exception, useful laborers in the vineyard, but 

 are known and esteemed only by persons well 

 versed in natural history; the mass of people hold 

 them in abomination. These small diggers are pur- 

 sued, on account of their ugly looks and their habits, 

 wherever they are found, by people who utterly ig- 

 nore the services these animals render. He who 

 studies their life is certain to act differently. He 

 finds so many attractive and fascinating traits that 

 he soon forgets their lack of good looks and gives 

 them his hearty interest and approval. 



Hibernation of Many species of Insectivora hiber- 

 the Insecti- nate and would perish if nature had 

 uores. not provided for their conservation in 



this way. At the approach of cold weather, nature, 

 to a certain degree, puts a stop on the lower forms 

 of animal life, and thousands upon thousands of the 

 creatures, which are destined to be the food of the 

 animals now under consideration, doze off either 



into eternal or temporary sleep. In this way earth 

 is rendered desolate for the foes of insect life, and 

 as they cannot migrate like the birds, they are in a 

 certain way compelled to follow the example set by 

 the insects. So they retire into the best concealed 

 hiding places they can find, or prepare such them- 

 selves, and fall into that deep lethargy, which tem- 

 porarily stops all activity, but preserves life in 

 their bodies until they wake again. But only those 

 species hibernate which feed on vegetable matter as 

 well as insects, while the most zealous insect hunters 

 ply their craft in winter as well as in summer. 

 Under the snow and earth and in the depth of the 

 water, life, pillage and carnage still go on in win- 

 ter; and these processes continue, of course, in those 

 countries where there is perennial summer, or where 

 there is no winter that brings freezing cold with it. 



The Insect-Eating animals are chiefly found in the 

 temperate countries of the north and are not found 

 in South America or Australia. They delight in 

 watery, or at least damp, forests, groves, plantations 

 and gardens, scarcely ever leaving such situations. 

 Quietly and noiselessly they follow their hunt, by 

 far the larger number being active by night, although 

 some pursue their prey in the bright daylight. 



The opinions of scientists as to the division of the 

 Insectivora show some discrepancy. We will admit 

 seven families, including a remarkable animal of the 

 Malayan Islands, the Galeopithecus. 



Zbe 1bet>oebOG8. 



FIRST FAMILY: Erinaceidje. 



The Hedgehogs, which we put at the head of this 

 order, are such remarkable animals, that the shortest 

 description suffices to characterize them. A set of 

 teeth, thirty-six in number, and a coat of spines are 

 the most important features of the few varieties 

 which we consider as really belonging to this family. 

 All Hedgehogs are of a stout build, and though 

 their heads are not particularly long, the muzzle 

 part is drawn out into the form of a proboscis; the 

 eyes are moderately large, the ears fairly so, the 

 short thick legs end in clumsy feet, the front pair 

 always having five toes, the hind ones usually hav- 

 ing five, and exceptionally four. The tail is short 

 and the wiry fur consists of short spines above and 

 hair below. 



Habitat The family is disseminated over Eu- 



and Traits of rope, Africa and Asia. Forests and 

 Hedgehogs. meadows, fields, gardens and exten- 

 sive plains are the principal haunts of its mem- 

 bers. Here the Hedgehogs take up their abode in 

 the densest of thickets, under hedges, hollow trees, 

 and roots, in rocky crevices, burrows deserted by 

 other animals, or similar places, or they dig short 

 shafts for themselves. The greater part of the year 



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