MAMMALIA — HEDGEHOG. 97 



THE HEDCtEHOG.i 



This animal varies in length from six to ten inches ; and has the power 

 of defending itself from an enemy Avithout combating him, and of annoying 

 without attacking him. Possessed of little strength, and of no agility by 

 which it might escape its foes, it has received from nature a prickly armor, 

 Avith a faculty of rolling itself up into a ball, and of presenting from every 

 part of its body a poignant weapon of defence. Even from its fear this 

 animal obtains another engine of security ; the smell of its urine, which, 

 when attacked, it generally sheds, being sufficient to disgust its enemy Avith 

 the contest, and to keep him at a distance. Thus, the generality of dogs 

 are content with barking at the hedgehog, when it falls in their way, with- 

 out discovering any inclination to seize it. Of these, however, there are 

 some, which, like the fox, have had the address to master it, though of the 

 marten, the polecat, the ferret, the weasel, or any of the birds of prey, it has 

 no dread. 



When at large in the country, they are generally found in woods, under 

 the trunks of old trees, as also in the clefts of rocks. It is not probable that 

 they climb up trees, as some naturalists have affirmed, or that they make 

 use of their prickles to carry off the fruit ; it is with their mouth they seize 

 it. They always remain at the foot, in some hollow space, or under moss. 

 They remain in a state of inactivity all day ; they only venture abroad by 

 night, and seldom approach human habitations. They sleep during the 

 winter ; and therefore every thing that has been said of their laying up pro- 

 visions for that season, must be false. They at no time eat much, and can 

 subsist very long without any food whatever. Hedgehogs are occasionally 

 eaten, and their flesh is said to be delicate food ; their skin is not now con- 

 verted to 'any use, though the ancients used it for the purpose of a clothes 

 brush. 



The hedgehog may be rendered domestic, and in that state is very useful 

 in destroying cockroaches and beetles, which he pursues and devours with 

 great activity. He is believed also to destroy mice, nearly if not quite as 

 well as a cat. A hedgehog belonging to the proprietor of an inn at Felton, 

 in Northumberland, Eng., was taught to perform perfectly the duty of a 

 turnspit dog. It ran familiarly round the house, and was very obedient. 



"In the month of June, 1782," says a correspondent in the Gentleman's 

 Magazine, "a full groAvn hedgehog was put into a small yard, in which 

 was a border of shrubs and annuals. In the course of a few days he formed, 

 beneath a small holly tree, a hole in the earth sufficiently large to receive 



1 Erinaceus Europceus, Lin. The genus Ermacexis has six upper and six lower incisors'; 

 two upper and two lower canines ; ten upper and eJEjht lower molars ; intermediate upper 

 incisors separate, cylindrical ; canines smaller than the molars ; body thick, covered with 

 prickles above and stiff hairs below, capable of roUhig up into a ball; muzzle pointed; 

 ears medium size, or very short and rounded; toes armed with stronar nails ; tail short or 

 none ; ten mammae, six pectoral, and four ventral ; no ccEcum ; clavicles complete. 



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