30 ZOOLOGY. 



to the exterior. The badger only leaves its dwelling 

 in the evening. It eats mice, birds which nest on 

 the ground, especially their eggs and young, snakes, 

 frogs, cockchafer grubs, earthworms, insects ; also 

 turnips, carrots, acorns, and sweet fruits. Although 

 it is both harmful and useful, the latter is more 

 generally the case. Its digging habits, however, are 

 sometimes destructive, since it throws up young trees 

 and other plants by the roots. The badger often 

 sleeps several days in succession during the winter, 

 although it does not hibernate. Its fat is used up 

 during the winter. 



Oedee : Insectivora (Insect-eating Mammals). 



Since the Insectivora feed upon very small animals 

 (insects, worms, snails), they cannot themselves be 

 large. Only those species (hedgehog) which feed on 

 small mammals and birds or upon vegetable mattex-, 

 in addition to insects, are of medium size. The native 

 species all live on or in the ground. The snout is 

 extremely slender, and does duty as an organ of touch. 

 The eyes are usually very badly developed. Incisors 

 sharp ; and the back teeth, which are completely coated 



with enamel, are remark- 

 able for their pointed 

 crowns. When the mouth 

 is closed the upper teeth fit 



into the spaces between the 



ytia. i6.-skuii of the Mole. lowcr teeth, and vice versa. 



Consequently the shutting 

 of the mouth forces the points of all the back teeth 

 into any insect which happens to be between the 

 jaws. The Insectivora are plantigrade (p. 22). Here 

 belong the following forms : the Shrews (Sorex), the 

 Mole {Talpa europcea) and the Hedgehog (Erinaceus 

 ewopcBus). 



The Shrews (Sorex) are smaU animals with a 



