718 Birds. 



often brought them home, having caught them close by ; and she had 

 no doubt they were what she "frequently heard whining about at dusk." 



To me there is something particularly grotesque and amusing in 

 the face of a hedgehog ; it is somewhat negro-like in form and ex- 

 pression. When taken up quite gently and held in the hand (with a 

 glove on), the hedgehog will frequently open its round ball-like shape, 

 and partially put out its head, either to see what is going on, or to 

 display its own " fair proportion of feature," and then, like a shy and 

 bashful maid, not yet hacknied in fashion's ways, retire from the rude 

 gaze of man, and the world's prying observation, by shutting itself up 

 again till placed on the ground and left alone ; it may then be shortly 

 seen to unroll itself and creep quietly away, in no unnecessary hurry 

 or alarm, wondering, no doubt, at man and his curious ways, as he 

 perchance does at those of the hedgepig. I have often thought that 

 this unwillingness of the hedgehog to keep its face concealed and 

 rolled up within itself as it were, for any very long period, arose pro- 

 bably not from pride, or any undue and vainglorious vanity in seeking 

 for admiration, but from the uncomfortable warmth and inability to 

 respire freely ; and it therefore becomes anxious, the first moment a 

 due regard to safety will permit, to resume its former form, and once 

 more set out on its destined course. The hedgehog is a very sensi- 

 tive little creature, and a very slight pressure on its horny spines de- 

 monstrates how susceptible it is, though they protect it and baffle the 

 efforts of many a stronger enemy to injure it. But unnecessarily to 

 destroy the poor hedgehog, particularly in those places where it can 

 do little or no harm, bespeaks " a grievous wrong " to that which the 

 goodness of Providence has called into being, to enjoy life like our- 

 selves. W. H. S. 



Hatton Hall, August, 1844. 



Corrections to Mr. BartletVs Paper on the Birds of Kent. I hasten to correct one 

 or two errors which have appeared in my account of Kentish birds. The statement 

 that the gannet breeds on the shingle in Romney Marsh (Zool. 626), was an error 

 which arose from my transcribing from my list of* Romney-marsh birds the words that 

 applied to the bird which followed, namely, the tern. I did not observe my mistake 

 until I saw it in print. The statement that it was common in Romney Marsh, is con- 

 firmed by the following account, which I have just received from Mr. Plomley. " In 

 westerly winds," he says, " the gannet is very commonly driven on shore. I have had 

 very many fine specimens brought to me, one of which I sent to the Zoological Gar- 

 dens, a year or two since." In saying that the greenshanks (Totanus glottis) was not 

 common, I was mistaken. I find from Mr. Plomley, that in spring and autumn these 



