THE MOLE 37 



three times across the back. It eats them by beginning at the 

 tail, and making its way slowly towards the head. 



If it should happen to attack an adder, and receive a bite from 

 the poison -bearing fangs, it is not in the least hurt, for the 

 poison has no effect upon it. 



The flesh of the hedgehog is edible, and gipsies are very fond 



Skull of Hedgehog — showing Teeth 



(Natural Size) 



Head of Hedgehog 



of it. In gipsy encampments hedgehogs may be seen tied up by 

 long strings until they are required for use. 



The manner in which they are cooked by the gipsies is very 

 curious. They are simply rolled up in a ball of clay and put into 

 the fire. When the ball cracks the hedgehog is baked. The 

 clay is then broken away, bringing the spines and skin with it; 

 and the flesh is ready to be eaten. Those who have tasted baked 

 hedgehog say that it is very delicate and tender. 



THE MOLE 



People who do not know any better often pity the Mole. They 

 think that it must be such an unhappy animal, because it is 

 compelled to spend its life in cold, dark tunnels underground, and 

 hardly ever comes out into the bright sunshine and fresh air 

 above. But they forget that the mole is carefully formed for the 

 life which it leads, and that it would be just as unnatural for it to 

 live above-ground as it would be for a squirrel or a bird to dwell 

 in a burrow. The mole is just as happy in its own way as the 



