NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



once became active, and diligently searched the 

 ground for insects. On the approach of winter the 

 Hedgehog retires to a cosy nest of moss, dead leaves, 

 grass, dense brushwood, or any other form of 

 hiding-place in the vicinity, and, coiling up, it 

 becomes torpid and lies thus until the return of 

 the summer season. On warm winter days in South 

 Africa, the Hedgehog, in favourable localities where 

 insect and other food is procurable, may occasionally 

 be met with walking abroad. I have at times during 

 the winter months seen it busy eating what are 

 known as White Ants (Termites), which it obtains 

 by scraping away a small portion of the hill in 

 which they live. When the surface of a termite 

 hill is broken, the inmates swarm out to investigate, 

 and are then easily licked up by the Hedgehog. 



The South African Hedgehog is covered with 

 spines on the back and sides. Each spine is yellowish- 

 white at the base and for two-thirds its length, 

 followed by a black band, and tipped with buff. 

 When kept for a long time in captivity, and not 

 exposed to the sun, the buflE and yellowish colour 

 fades away, and the spines become pure white, with 

 a black band. 



The South African Hedgehog can at once be 

 distinguished from its European cousin by the 

 presence of a white band which extends from the 

 bases of the lips over the forehead. 



An adult Hedgehog is about 7 inches long, and 

 when rolled up is of about the bulk of a plough- 



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