HEDGE-HOGS FIELDFARE. 91 



prickles on their backs and sides as would easily 

 have fetched blood, had they not been handled 

 with caution. Their spines are quite white at 

 this age ; and they have little hanging ears, which 

 I do not remember to be discernible in the old 

 ones. They can, in part, at this age, draw their 

 skin down over their faces ; but are not able to 

 contract themselves into a ball, as they do, for the 

 sake of defence, when full grown. The reason, 

 I suppose, is, because the curious muscle that 

 enables the creature to roll itself up in a ball was 

 not then arrived at its full tone and firmness. 

 Hedge-hogs make a deep and warm hybernaculum 

 with leaves and moss, in which they conceal 

 themselves for the winter ; but I never could find 

 that they stored in any winter provision as some 

 quadrupeds certainly do. 



I have discovered an anecdote with respect to 

 the fieldfare, (turdus pilaris,) which I think is 

 particular enough : this bird, though it sits on 

 trees in the day-time, and procures the greatest 

 part of its food from white-thorn hedges; yea, 

 moreover, builds on very high trees, as may be 

 seen by the Fauna Suetica, yet always appears with 

 us to roost on the ground. They are seen to 

 come in flocks just before it is dark, and to settle 

 and nestle among the heath on our forest. And 

 besides, the larkers, in dragging their nets by 

 night, frequently catch them in the wheat- stub- 

 bles ; while the bat-fowlers, who take many red- 

 wings in the hedges, never entangle any of this 

 species. Why these birds, in the matter of roost- 

 ing, should differ from all their congeners, and 

 from themselves also with respect to their pro- 

 ceedings by day, is a fact for which I am by no 

 means able to account. 



I have somewhat to inform you of concerning 



