IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. Ill 



Food. — Grasshoppers, cockroaches, boiled eggs, and even bread 

 and milk. One of those that were loose in the garden was observed 

 feasting upon small mellipedes, which are numerous during the rains. 

 It is also believed that they eat ants. 



Transport. — This presents no difficulty, and requires no special 

 contrivances. 



Nothing is known with regard to their ailments. 



Habits in captivity. 



Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals, and during the day remain 

 concealed under the straw of the cage or any hiding place they can 

 find. Though night feeders, they do not object to eating during the day 

 in captivity, especially those that become familiar with their new 

 surroundings. They have the peculiar habit of completely rolling them- 

 selves up into a ball when touched or disturbed. Hedgehogs, like 

 porcupines, have the power of suddenly jerking backwards, no doubt 

 for the same purpose of hurting their assailants ; they never do so when 

 they become tame and familiar. In captivity here they have never 

 been heard to utter any sound. 



(116) THE SMALLEE GYMNUBA. 



(GYMNUEA SUILLA—iMiiller & Schley.}) 



The smaller gymnura somewhat resembles a shrew. It has no 

 spines, and the tail is naked or nearly so ; head elongate, ears compara- 

 tively large and naked. The colour of the body above rusty brown, 

 below yellowish white. 



Hob. — The smaller gymnura is found in Burmah, the Malay 

 peninsula, Sumatra, Java, &c. A specimen, said to have been captured 

 in Tenassarim, was obtained in 1883. 



Length of life in captivity. 



No specimen has hitherto lived in the garden longer than about 

 eight months. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — It is arboreal in habits, and may be treated like a tree 

 shrew in this respect. 



Food. — Cockroaches, grasshoppers, and various other insects and 

 their larvse ; in captivity it will also eat eggs, bread and milk. 



Habits. — The animal is nocturnal, but like many other nocturnal 

 animals in captivity it is wakeful and active during the day ; ts move- 

 ments are somewhat like a squirrel. 



