EA.KLY LIFE OF A HEDGEHOG. 215 



The following is another account of Peter since he made his 

 journey into Lincolnshire : — 



" July 26th. — Peter's supper last night was five white slugs, 

 which he ate with great relish. Moths are his favourite dainty. 

 He will eat small horse flies, but refuses bluebottles. He is 

 very tame, loves to be nursed and kept warm, and likes to nibble 

 and lick my hand if I let him creep about me. "When he is 

 hungry he takes my finger right into his mouth, and bites as 

 he can, but not to hurt ; and when he yawns, as he sometimes 

 does when I take him out of his basket, he shows a mouth full 

 of little bright sharp teeth." 



Third communication from Miss Abbs : 



"July 28th. — Peter continues to flourish, and is most inter- 

 esting. I am very sorry you cannot see him as he is now, it is 

 so amusing to watch his ways. "When he is thirsty he licks my 

 finger, when hungry he bites it. He is decidedly grown, but 

 does not roll himself quite into a ball yet, though he can put 

 himself into all kinds of attitudes to wash himself. He rolls on 

 to his back, with all four legs up in the air, bends his head for- 

 ward, and licks his belly all over ; then just rolls over to right 

 himself ; and he can throw his head over his shoulder to lick all 

 his spines. He runs fast now, and every night about ten o'clock, 

 when I can just see him in the dusk, I take him into the garden 

 for half an hour, and he runs about picking up white slugs. He 

 has a great idea of hunting for himself now. Last night I lost 

 count of the number of slugs he ate, but it must have been over 

 a dozen." 



Fourth communication from Miss Abbs : 



l \ I wish you could see the little hedgehog now. You would 

 not know him, he is so much changed. So lively, and takes his 

 food very greedily. He has all his little teeth, and can chew 

 small pieces of raw meat chopped fine ; and eats biscuit soaked 

 in milk very greedily. I shall be quite sorry when he leaves 

 off sucking, it looks so ridiculous. Sometimes I can hardly feed 

 him for laughing. "When sucking he stands on his hind legs, 

 pushing his body through my left hand, and working with his 

 fore arms and hands, as if he was swimming. I am sure the 



