ERI 



ERI 



Indian remedies for the bite of the rattle- 

 snake. 



ERINACEUS, the hedge-hog, in na- 

 tural history, a genus of Mammalia, of the 

 order Ferae. Generic character : two fore 

 teeth, both above and below, those of the 

 upper jaw distant, those of the lower ap- 

 proximated ; five tusks an each side of 

 the upper jaw, three on each side of the 

 lower; four grinders on each side, both 

 above and below ; body covered on the 

 upper part with spines. There are six 

 species. 



E. Europaeus, the common hedge-hog, 

 is found in all the temperate climates of 

 Europe and Asia. Its whole length is 

 about eleven inches, its colour generally 

 a grey brown. It lives in hedges and 

 thickets, and subsists on young toads, 

 worms, beetles, crabs, fruits, and birds. 

 It conceals itself in its hole during the 

 day, and by night wanders in search of 

 food. It builds its nest of moss, and 

 produces four or five young ones at a 

 birth. These animals possess the curious, 

 though not completely singular, property 

 of rolling themselves into a compact form, 

 like a ball, their spines only appearing, 

 and presenting to the enemy an armed 

 front, which he generally trembles to as- 

 sail. The greater the danger it is expos- 

 ed to, the more closely it is compacted, 

 and it is difficult to compel it from this 

 state to its usual form without the appli- 

 cation of cold water, on being immersed 

 in which it appears in its usual shape. 

 It lies in this ball-like form during the 

 winter in its mossy nest, insensible to the 

 extremity of the cold, and, on the ap- 

 proach of spring, resumes its nocturnal 

 researches. It is perfectly harmless, and 

 in some countries is said to be domes- 

 ticated, and in this state is employed by 

 the Calmucks in their habitations to clear 

 them from various annoying insects. It 

 possesses a considerable odour of musk. 

 It is occasionally hunted by dogs, which, 

 however, before they are disciplined to 

 the pursuit, are not fond of encountering 

 these animals, being deterred by their 

 horrid aspect, or wounding bristles. They 

 soon, however, find their superiority, and 

 after a little irritation from the spines of 

 the animal, are exasperated to the full 

 application of their teeth, which the 

 hedge-hog is totally unable to resist. 

 Finding his globular form now cease to be 

 his effectual security, he unrolls himself, 

 and falls an immediate victim to the 

 dogs, who are generally urged on to the 

 sport by persons of far greater curiosity 

 than sensibility. See Mammalia, Plate 

 XII. fig. 1. 





E. Mallaccensis, or the Malacca hedge- 

 hog, is about the size of the common por- 

 cupine; its ears are long and pendulous, 

 and its spines, or rather quills, are stated 

 to vary on different parts of the animal, 

 from the length of an inch to a foot and 

 a half. It is remarkable for a concre- 

 tion in the gall-bladder about the size of 

 a walnut, which is intensely bitter, and 

 which, in the days of medical ignorance 

 and superstition, was imagined to pos- 

 sess the highest virtue in cases of fever 

 and other malignant diesases, and, when 

 found entire, has been sold occasionally 

 for more than two hundred pounds. 

 These bezoars, however, are by no means 

 peculiar to this animal. See Mammalia, 

 Plate XII. fig. 2. 



ERINUS, in botany, a genus of the Di- 

 dynamia Angiospermia class and order. 

 Natural order of Personatse. Pediculares, 

 Jussieu. Essential character : calyx five- 

 leaved; corolla border five-cleft, equal, 

 with the lobes emarginate ; upper lip 

 very short, reflex ; capsule two-celled. 

 There are thirteen species. The flowers 

 in this genus are either axillary, or with 

 one bracte to each, in a terminating 

 spike ; leaves alternate. They are chiefly 

 natives of Africa. 



ERIOCAULON, a genus of the Trian- 

 dria Tryginia class and order. Natural 

 order of Ensatx. Junci, Jussieu. Es- 

 sential character : calyx common, an im- 

 bricate head; petals three, equal; sta- 

 mina upon the germ. There are six 

 species. 



ERIOCEPHALUS, in botany, a genus 

 of the Syngenesiu Polygamia Necessaria 

 class and order. Natural order of Compo- 

 sitae Nucamentacese. Corymbiferse, Jus- 

 sieu. Essential character : receptacle 

 subvillose ; down none ; calyx ten leaved, 

 equal ; in the ray five floscules. There 

 are two species, viz. E. africanus, cluster- 

 leaved eriocephalus, and E. racemosus, 

 silvery-leaved eriocephalus. Both natives 

 of the Cape of Good Hope. 



The leaves of the first mentioned are 

 Coolly; they come out in clusters, some 

 taper and entire, others divided into three 

 pairs, which spread open like a hand ; 

 they have a strong smell when bruised, 

 approaching to that of lavender cotton, 

 though not so rank. The flowers are pro- 

 duced in small clusters. at the ends of the 

 branches, standing erect. The female 

 florets which compose the ray form a 

 hollow, in the middle of which the her- 

 maphrodite florets forming the disk are 

 situated. 



ERIOPHORUM, in botany, cotton grass, 

 a genus of the Triandria Monogynia class 



