THE HEDGEHOG. 



447 



water. The Hedgehog, fearing that it is going to be drowned, straightway unrolls itself, 

 and is immediately pounced on by the cunning fox, which crushes its head with a single 

 bite, and eats it afterwards at leisure. In America, the puma is said to eat the Hedgehog 

 in a very curious manner. Seizing the animal by the head, it gradually draws the ani- 

 mal through its teeth, swallowing the body and stripping off the skin. 



Man, however, troubles himself very little about the Hedgehog's prickles, and when 

 disposed to such a diet, kills, cooks, and eats it without hesitation. 



The legitimate mode of proceeding is to kill the animal by a blow on the head, and 

 then to envelop it, without removing the skin, in a thick layer of a well-kneaded clay. 

 The enwrapped Hedgehog is then placed on the fire, being carefully turned by the cook 

 at proper intervals, and there remains until the clay is perfectly dry and begins to crack. 

 When this event has taken place, the cooking is considered to be complete, and the 

 animal is removed from the fire. The clay covering is then broken off, and carries 



HEDGEHOG. Erlaaceus Europceus. 



away with it the whole of the skin, which is adherent by means of the prickles. By 

 this mode of cookery the juices are preserved, and the result is pronounced to be 

 supremely excellent. 



This primitive but admirable form of cookery is almost entirely confined to gipsies 

 and other wanderers, as in these days there are few civilized persons who would 

 condescend to partake of such a diet. Utilitarians, however, can render the creature 

 subservient to their purposes by using it as a guardian to their kitchens. Its insect- 

 devouring powers are of such a nature that it can be made a most useful inhabitant of 

 the house, and set in charge of the " black beetles." 



It is domesticated without the least difficulty, and speedily makes itself at home, if it 

 be only supplied with a warm bed of rags or hay in some dark crevice. The rapidity 

 with which it extirpates the cockroaches is most marvellous, for their speed and wariness 

 are so great that the Hedgehog must possess no small amount of both qualities in order 

 to destroy them so easily. A Hedgehog which resided for some years in our house 

 was accustomed to pass a somewhat nomad existence, for as soon as it had eaten all the 



