THE HEDGEHOG OR URCHIN. 257 



hogs will not move elsewhere, the rats simply 

 avoid the place. 



Certainly it is not probable that the hedgehog 

 has sufficient sense to avoid an encounter with 

 the gray rat, fierce and terrible fighter though the 

 latter may be ; in fact, I am quite convinced that 

 a hedgehog would devour either young or old 

 rats when the chance occurred just as readily as 

 it would devour any other small creature that fell 

 within its power, and quite heedless of all con- 

 sequences. Truly does the saying, ' Fools step in 

 where angels fear to tread,' apply to this creature, 

 for a hedgehog will deliberately trespass within the 

 stronghold of a veritable army of rats, and there 

 commit a crime sufficient to bring immediate and 

 dreadful disaster upon itself when it is in the power 

 of the rodents to inflict it. 



The incident on which this statement is based 

 occurred when I was a boy in the West Riding. 

 At the back of the house were a number of ancient 

 outhouses, which at that time were occupied by 

 one of the periodical rat-swarms. One evening 

 when passing near I heard a squealing and scuffling 

 issuing from some nettles behind the outhouses, 

 and, peering cautiously over the wall, was sur- 

 prised to see two or three large rats circling round 

 a hedgehog, endeavouring apparently to find a 

 vulnerable point in the creature's armour. The 

 hedgehog appeared quite undisturbed, and, though 

 not rolled up, its coat of prickles seemed to be 

 drawn so far forward as to defend its head. While 

 I watched, the animal sauntered calmly off, quite 

 undismayed by the attack of the rats. Going to 

 the place where it had crouched, I discovered the 

 skin of a young rat, perhaps half-grown, eaten 

 completely empty. Evidently the hedgehog had 



W.A. q 



