104 ERINACEADJE. 



The assertion of Pliny, followed by his numerous pla- 

 giarists, and amongst them by the greatest of all, BuiFon, 

 that the means of defence just described are aided by 

 another of a very different character — the expulsion of 

 its urine, namely, in such a manner that it spreads itself 

 over the whole surface of the skin, and by its odour dis- 

 gusts and repulses its assailants, — is wholly unsupported 

 by later observation, and is doubtless a mere invention. 

 ^liaii, indeed, mentions the same fact, but with refe- 

 rence to a different object : "As soon as a Hedgehog is 

 captured," says he, " he sprinkles his body with urine, 

 and renders useless a part which is in itself so useful ; " 

 alluding to the use made by the Romans of the prickly 

 skin of the Hedgehog in hackling hemp for the weaving 

 of cloth. 



However effectual this defensive armour may be in 

 most cases, it now and then happens that a well-trained 

 and thoroughbred wire-haired Terrier is found hardy 

 and bold and active enough to " open " a Hedgehog, at 

 the expense of a bloody nose and sorely pricked paws. 

 This, however, is rare ; and it may be safely asserted 

 that scarcely any animal is so admirably provided with 

 means of self-preservation, which the absence of the 

 usual methods of escape or of resistance render so 

 necessary.* 



The food of the Hedgehog is very various : it is, how- 

 ever, certain that it lives by preference upon animal food, 

 though it will readily eat many vegetable substances. 

 Its usual aliment is insects, particularly beetles, worms, 



* I beg to refer the reader to ^Uan, lib. vi. cap. Ixiy. for a curious story 

 of the method which the Fox is said to employ to force the Hedgehog to open. 

 Our English Foxes appear, as far as we can ascertain, to have no particular 

 liking for the Hedgehog while alive, but there is good reason for believing 

 that they will feed readily upon these animals when dead, and even when 

 quite putrid. 



