406 . COMMON HEDGEHOG. 
the upper jaw five, and in the lower three. There 
are also four grinders on each side, both above and 
below ; and the body is covered on the upper parts 
with spines. The tail and feet are very short ; 
and the snout is somewhat cartilaginous. 
There are seven species, none of which are car- 
nivorous. Of these only one is found in Europe, 
and this is common in several parts of England, 
Common hedgehog. 
These animals are natives of most of the iernpe- 
ate parts of Europe and Asia. They are gene- 
rallyabout ten inches long, and of a greyish brown 
colour. Their usual residence is in small thick- 
ets ; and they feed on fallen fruits, roots, and in- 
sects ; they are also very fond of flesh-meat, either 
raw or roasted. They chiefly wander about by 
night, and during the day lie concealed in their 
holes. 
Naturalists have alleged that they enter gardens ; 
where they mount trees, and descend with pears^ 
apples, or plums, stuck upon their bristles. This, 
however, is a mistake ; for if kept in a garden, they 
never attempt to climb trees, nor even to stick fal- 
len fruit upon their bristles, but lay bold of their 
food with tht mouth. They also are undeservedly 
reproached with sucking cattle and injuring their 
udders ; for the smallness of their mouths renders 
this altogether impossible. 
Mr. White says, that the manner in which the 
hedgehogs eat the roots of the plaintain in his 
grass walks is very curious. With their upper 
jaw, which is much longer than the lower, they 
bore under the plant, and gnaw the root off up- 
wards, leaving” the tuft of leaves untouched. In 
this respect they are serviceable, a* they destroy » 
