376 
THE STORY OF THE HEDGEHOG. 
broken in several places; it then began at the tail, and ate the snake gradually, 
as one would eat a radish. 
The hedgehog also feeds on earthworms, slugs and snails, and in destroy¬ 
ing the latter it may certainly be regarded as a friend to the gardener. The 
consumption of earthworms is performed in a rather curious, manner. These 
animals are seized when they are enjoying the damp freshness of the air out 
of their holes, in summer evenings, and slowly passed into the mouth of 
their enemy from one end to the other, apparently by the simple process of 
mastication with the molar teeth, the unconsumed portion of the worm being 
constantly transferred from one side of the mouth toi the other, so that both 
sides of the jaw may come into play. This must be an unpleasant operation 
for the worm, much as its captor may enjoy it. It is uncertain whether the 
larger snails are eaten by the hedgehog, but the smaller species certainly form 
a portion of its diet. 
The new-born young are almost naked, and their imperfect spines are 
soft, flexible and white, although rapidly hardening in the course of a few 
days. They are at first totally blind, and quite incapable of rolling themselves 
up. The nest in which the young are born is carefully constructed, and is 
said to be always protected from: rain by an efficient roof. In winter the 
European hedgehog hibernates completely, laying up no store of food, but 
retiring to a nest of moss and leaves, where, rolled up in a ball, it lies torpid till 
awakened by the returning warmth of spring. 
The flesh of the hedgehog is said to> be good eating, and the Gypsies fre¬ 
quently make it a part of their diet, as do the people in some parts of the 
continent. 
There is a peculiar method of preparing the animal for food, strongly re¬ 
minding one of the earth ovens used by the Polynesians. The hedgehog is 
simply wrapped up in a mass of clay and put on the fire. In process of time 
the clay is thoroughly baked, and cracks open, when the hedgehog is supposed 
to be cooked. On opening the clay, the skin comes off with it, while the in¬ 
sides of the animal have formed themselves into' a hard ball, and are taken 
out entire. By this method of cooking the juices are retained, and not suffered 
to dissipate, as they would if it were roasted. 
The common hedgehog is characterized by the short and almost imper¬ 
ceptible neck, the pig-like snout, from, which it derives its popular name, and 
also by the shortness of its limbs. Exclusive of the short naked tail, which 
measures about one and one-half inches, an average-sized hedgehog* is about 
ten inches in length. The great peculiarity of all the hedgehogs is the power 
