Gipsies and Hedgehogs. 171 



why naturalists should stultify themselves by an over 



laudation of nature, telling her to her teeth she does 

 that which certainly she does not ? 



GIPSIES AND HEDGEHOGS. 



Around here we have both of these curious creatures 

 in abundance : the biped attracted by the Forest of Dean 

 and other Wyeside woods, where he is permitted free 

 tenting-ground ; the quadruped finding in the dry tus- 

 socky outskirts and underwood a habitat to its taste. 

 Mention of the one almost invariably suggests thought 

 of the other. For who has not heard of the gipsy's fond- 

 ness for the urchin's flesh, and his original mode of cook- 

 ing it — a bake in a ball of clay ? But I have reason to 

 doubt the correctness of what has been said about this 

 culinary process. It is certainly not practised by any of 

 the fraternity around here — indeed, not known to them. 

 AU with whom I have come in contact tell me that their 

 mode of cooking the hedgehog is simply by roasting it on 

 a stick, or other spit, over their ordinary " faggot fire," 

 having first removed the skin and " ofi'al " ; the which, so 

 far as this neighbourhood is concerned, does away with 

 the pretty story of baking in a ball of clay. 



There is no question, however, as to their partiality for 

 the animal's flesh. Gipsies, young and old, a,vefriand of 

 the same, speak of it as a hon-bouche, and take much 

 pains to procure it. In its capture they display wonder- 

 ful skill and sagacity. Where an ordinary individual can 

 perceive neither trace nor sign of hedgehog presence a 

 gipsy will sight the creature's " spoor," and follow it up 



