264 THE HEDGEHOG OR URCHIN. 



I have repeatedly noticed a curious and interesting 

 habit of this creature during the days of autumn. 

 As soon as the wind becomes cold, the hedgehog 

 begins to acquire an overcoat of leaves. It may 

 be said that this is purely accidental, that it would 

 be quite impossible for such a ball of prickles to 

 move about when the woods are thick with leaves 

 without acquiring such an overcoat ; but at all 

 events, accidental or not on the hedgehog's part, 

 it would appear to be one of nature's provisions. 

 As the cold weather comes, the hedgehog is to be 

 seen running hither and thither in its coat of leaves, 

 making as much noise as a team of foresters. 

 Then, as the days pass, and the weather becomes 

 still colder, the hedgehog collects a second coating, 

 and yet a third, each new covering ramming the 

 previous one farther home, till the leaves are 

 impaled to the very base of the quills. The work 

 is done so thoroughly that it could not very well 

 be due entirely to chance ; and it needs to be borne 

 in mind that such an overcoat resists not only the 

 cold wind, but also the rain. Moreover, during the 

 autumn, a hedgehog has been watched purposely 

 rolling down a leaf-strewn bank, ascending, and 

 rolling again, apparently with no other object than 

 that of collecting leaves. 



It would seem that the habit plays an important 

 part in the history of the hedgehog's hibernation. 

 It is the first step in the direction of denning up. 

 Equipped with an efficient, though artificial, over- 

 coat, the animal very soon becomes sluggish in its 

 habits. Its den is probably lined with leaves, and 

 the covering of leaves on its body lessens the con- 

 trast in temperature when at intervals the animal 

 quits its nest. 



By late October the hedgehog is seldom seen 



