170 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



scientific appellations. The upper part of the body is 

 covered with slender brown spines, with a whitish ring at 

 their base, and a yellowish one at the point. They are not 

 joined in tufts or stalks at their extremity to the root, but 

 separated singly, and are smoothed back when the animal is 

 in a state of repose. The nostrils are denticulated like the 

 crest of a cock. The limbs are longer and more slender than 

 those of our European Hedgehog. The tail is rather 

 shorter, conical, and almost naked. The hair is in general 

 much finer than that of the Erinaceus Europaeus ; in the 

 limbs and belly it forms a fine whitish fur. The muzzle is 

 furnished with four rows of whiskers. The colour of the 

 tail is of a yellowish white. The iris of the eye is bluish. 

 The female has usually two litters in the year, and brings 

 forth from six to seven at a birth. It hybernates in holes 

 a few inches below the surface of the ground. It feeds on 

 insects, and can eat cantharides and such vesicatory insects, 

 which would destroy other mammalia, without sustaining any 

 inconvenience ; thereby evincing an instance of that harmo- 

 nious agreement and consistency, which however prevalent, 

 universally and in more familiar instances, too generally es- 

 capes observation. The powers of stomach of the Hedgehog 

 are equally adapted with its teeth for insectivorous regimen, 

 and for such insects even as are destructive to others diffe- 

 rently adapted ; were it otherwise, its mental impulse and 

 its physical capabilities would frequently induce its de- 

 struction. It grows remarkably fat, especially towards the 

 Autumn, rolls itself up when afraid of any thing, and closely 

 resembles the European species in all its habits and man- 

 ners. We present a figure of this species. 



The Hedgehog with pendent ears (Erinaceus Malaccensis), 

 is usually considered as belonging to this genus. Gmelin, 

 however, was doubtful whether to class it here, or among 

 the Porcupines. He placed it, notwithstanding, among the 

 Hedgehogs, on the authority of Brisson. M. Desmarest 



