BOOK VIII. Lv. 132-LV1. 134 



beforehand. Some people say that they let them- 

 selves down into their cave in a string, male and female 

 alternately holding the next one's tail in their teeth, 

 and lying on their backs, embracing a bundle of 

 grass that they have bitten off at the roots, and that 

 consequently at this season their backs show marks 

 of rubbing. There are also mice " resembhng these 

 in Egypt, and they sit back on their haunches in a 

 similar way, and walk on two feet and use their fore- 

 paws as hands. 



LVI. Hedgehogs also prepare food for winter, The hedge- 

 and fixing fallen apples on their spines by roUing ■^otecuon 

 on them and hoklinff one more in their mouth carrv "S"''"'" 



i_ 1 11 rr'! ^ n 11 hunlers. 



them to hollow trees. Ihe same animals loretell a 

 change of wind from North to South by retiring to 

 their lair. But when they perceive someone hunting 

 them they draw together their moutli and feet and 

 all their lower part, which has thin and harmless 

 down on it, and roU up into the shape of a ball, 

 so that it may not be possible to take hold of any 

 part of them except the prickles. But when desperate 

 they make water over themselves, which con-odes 

 their hide and damages their spines, for the sake of 

 which they know that people catch them. Hence 

 the scientific way is to hunt them just after they 

 have discharged their water. And then the liide is of 

 particular value, whereas otherwise it is spoiled and 

 fragile, with the spines rotting and faUing out, even 

 if the animal escapes by flight and Hves. On this 

 account it does not drench itself with this damaging 

 stuff except as a last resoi*t, since even the creatures 

 themselves hate this self-poisoning, sparing them- 

 selves and waiting for the final Hmit so long that 

 usuaUy capture overtakes them beforehand. After- 



95 



