no 
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 
this carrying of a bundle of leaves in his tail a number of times. I noticed that 
he had made a half hearted attempt to build a nest in one corner, but had aban- 
doned the idea and slept anywhere that he happened to be when drowsiness 
overcame him. 
Opossums of course use their tails with agility in climbing, but I have never 
seen a note in mammalian history on the use of the tail as a carrier of material 
of any kind, so thought this account might prove of interest to readers of the 
Journal. The accompanying sketch shows accurately the manner in which the 
tail was employed in carrying bundles of leaves. — Leon L. Pray, Field Museum 
of Natural History, Chicago. 
NOTES ON THE EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG 
Extracts from my journal, written at Ultuna, Sweden, 1898: August J. A 
member of the faculty of the Agricultural College, located here, informed me that 
every night a hedgehog (Erinaceus europmus) was seen to leave a thicket near the 
campus, and make for the shrubbery along a small stream, where it fed during 
the night. We went out that evening to watch for it, and had about given up 
seeing it, when we heard a woman talking and found her in earnest conversation 
with the hedgehog. It stood a few feet away gazing at her, but on seeing us 
turned and ran under a building where it was captured. It did not roll up until 
I had handled it roughly. I was told that these animals fed on mice, berries, 
and scraps thrown from the kitchen. 
August 5. Among the twenty-five specimens caught today, were two Erina- 
ceus. One was taken in a steel trap baited with bread and set by the side of an 
out-building; the other in a Schuyler rat trap set in a barn and baited with 
rolled oats. 
August 11. Last night I caught another Erinaceus in a steel trap baited 
with rolled oats A half-grown hedgehog that I keep in my room 
shows displeasure, when disturbed, by sniffing through his nose and making a 
noise in his throat that sounds like heavy heart-throbs. Occasionally he shakes 
himself, ratting his spines. When placed on a couch, he shows fear of falling, 
creeps cautiously to the side, lies prone, and peeps over the edge. I offered him 
bread and boiled potatoes, and, though he accepted them, he took a piece of raw 
meat much quicker. At first he started to roll up, but, on scenting the meat, 
uncoiled, accepted and ate it very slowly, all the time grating his teeth. He does 
not use his front feet while eating. Whenever I handle him he rolls up so tightly 
that it is difficult to find the opening. He does not attempt to bite [he did later 
however] even when I catch him before he is tightly closed and tickle his belly. 
I have just induced him to walk six inches to my hand and take a piece of raw 
meat from my fingers. 
August 12. My pet Erinaceus is very interesting. He eats the bodies of both 
Sorex and Neomys, chewing the meat fine and eating slowly. It took him eight 
minutes to eat a half grown Microtus. Last evening I knocked from a table, 
and broke, a glass candlestick; and during the night the hedgehog awakened me 
by rolling one of the pieces about the floor. Then he began scratching on the 
side of the chamber vessel and I chased him away, but he returned and I had 
to remove the vessel in order to sleep. He is very active. I can call him from 
