EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG. 
545 
lity of the flesh, which, it seems, is cold in the 
first degree ! ! ! 
The Hedgehog is generally considered as a 
harmless inoffensive animal, but has been fre- 
quently supposed (and to this day the notion pre- 
vails in many places) to suck the teats of cows 
by night, and thus cause by its prickles those ex- 
ulcerations which are sometimes seen on cattle. 
From this accusation, however, it is completely 
absolved by Mr. Pennant, who observes, that its 
mouth is by far too small to admit of this prac- 
tice. The Count de Bulfon considers it as a crea- 
ture of a malignant disposition, and observes, that 
one Adiich he kept in a state of confinement in 
a tub, devoured its young ones, though sup- 
plied with proper food: this, however, is a pheno- 
menon in natural history which occasionally takes 
place with several other animals. 
The cruel practice of vivisection, so common 
among the more ancient anatomists, and too fre- 
quent even among modern ones, shews, in a strik- 
ing manner, the patience of this creature under 
the most excruciating torture, since it has been 
known to undergo this severe operation without 
uttering any voice of distress. 
Clavis terebrari sibi pedes, & discindi viscera 
patientissime ferebat; omnes cultri ictus sine 
gemitu, plusquam Spartana nobilitate concoquens." 
— Borrichius in Bias, de Ech'mo. 
As a curious example of the absurdities which 
sometimes occur in the works of the older writers, 
we may observe, that, according to Albertus 
