INSJfiOT-EATERS. 99 



A full grown Hedgehog was once 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 his body. After a while a small shed 

 was built for him in the corner of the yard, and filled with straw ; 

 but the animal would not quit its former situation until it was 

 covered with a stone. He then took possession of the shed, and 

 every morning carried leaves from a distant part of the border, to 

 stop its mouth. His principal food was raw meat and mice. Of 

 the latter he would eat six at a time, but never more ; and, although 

 these were thrown to him dead, he bit them all in the neck before 

 he began to eat any. He would also eat snails with their shells ; 

 but would leave anything for milk, which he lapped exceedingly 

 slow. To this, even if set six or eight yards distant from his shed, 

 he would almost always come out half an hour before his usual 

 time. If the person who usually fed him neglected to do so, he 

 would follow him along the yard ; and if the door was open, he 

 would go into the house. If meat was put near the mouth of his 

 shed in the daytime, he would sometimes pull it in and eat it. As 

 the weather became colder, he carried more leaves into his shed ; 

 and sometimes he would not come out for two or three days suc- 

 cessively. About the end of November he died ; from want of 

 food, as was supposed, but most probably from the severity of the 

 weather. 



The Shrew-Mouse is very like the common mouse, but is 

 easily distinguished from it by the length of the nose, which is 

 used for grubbing up the earth in search of earth-worms and 

 insects. A peculiar scent is diffused from these animals, which 

 prevents the cat from eating them, although she will readily de- 

 stroy them. Many species of shrews are known, inhabiting various 

 countries. There are, besides the common species, the Oared and 

 the Water Shrew. The formation of their hair, as seen under a 

 powerful microscope, is most singular, and differs from the hair 

 of most other animals by suddenly diminishing in thickness, and, 

 after an interval, recovering its former size. 



This is one of the numerous animals that have suffered by 



