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 carniOf these only one is found in Europe, and this is common in several parts of England.

vorous.

THE COMMON HEDGEHOG.†

These animals are natives of most of the temperate parts of Europe and Asia: they are generally about ten inches long, and of a greyish brown colour.

Their usual residence is in small thickets, and they feed upon fallen fruits, roots, and insects; 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 alledged that they go into gardens, mount trees, and come down 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, or even to stick fallen fruit upon their bristles, but lay hold of their food with the mouth.-They also lie under the undeserved reproach of sucking cattle and injuring their udders; but the smallness of their mouths renders this altogether impossible.

* Linn. Gmel. i. 115,

SYNONYMS.-Erinaceus Europeus. Linn.-Common Hedgehog. Common Urchin. Penn.-Hérisson. Buffon.- Shaw's Gen. Zool. pl. 121.

-Bew. Quad. 448.

Mr. White says, that the manner in which the Hedgehogs eat the roots of the plantain in his grass-walks is very curious: with their upper mandible, which is much longer than the lower, they bore under the plant, and gnaw the root off upwards, leaving the tuft of leaves untouched. In this respect they are serviceable, as they destroy a very troublesome weed; but they, in some measure, deface the walks by digging in them little round holes.

The Hedgehog has a very uncommon method of defending itself from the attacks of other animals. Being possessed of very little strength or agility, he neither attempts to fly from nor assail his enemies; but erects his bristles, and rolls himself up like a ball, exposing no part of his body that is not furnished with his sharp weapons of defence. He will not unfold himself unless thrown into water, and the more he is frightened or harrassed, the closer he shuts himself up. While in this state, most Dogs, instead of biting him, stand off and bark, not daring to seize him; and, if they attempt it once, their mouths are so pricked with his bristles, that it is with difficulty they can be prevailed upon to do it a second time. He is easily taken, for he neither attempts to fly, nor to defend himself by any other means than this.

The shameful barbarity of anatomists furnishes us with an amazing instance of patience in this animal. One that was dissected alive, and whose feet were nailed down to the table, endured that, and

every stroke of the operator's knife, without uttering even a single scream.*

The Hedgehog may be rendered, in a very considerable degree, domestic ; and it has been frequently introduced into houses for the purpose of expelling those troublesome insects the Blatte, or Cockroaches, which it pursues with avidity, and on which it is fond of feeding. By the Calmuc Tartars these animals are kept in their huts instead of Cats.

There was a Hedgehog, in the year 1799, in the possession of a Mr. Sample, of the Angel-inn at Felton in Northumberland, which performed the duty of a turn-spit, as well in every respect as the Dog of that name; ran about the house as familiarly as any other domestic quadruped; displayed a facility till then unknown in this species of animals, and used to answer to the name of Toм.

In the winter the Hedgehog wraps itself up in a warm nest of moss, dried grass, and leaves; and sleeps out the rigours of that season. It is frequently found so completely encircled with herbage, on all sides, that it resembles a ball of dried leaves; but when taken out, and placed before a fire, it soon recovers from its state of torpidity.

It produces four or five young at a birth, which are soon covered with prickles, like those of the parent animal, but shorter and weaker. The nest formed for these is large, and composed principally of moss.

* Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 135.

be

It is occasionally an article of food, and is said to be extremely delicate eating. The skin may successfully used in the place of a clothes'-brush, and it was in fact used by the ancients for this purpose.

The Hedgehog differs very materially from the Porcupine, which at first sight it seems much to resemble, both in the structure of its teeth, and in the shortness of its spines or quills.

THE PORCUPINES.*

The animals of this tribe have two front-teeth, cut obliquely, both in the upper and under jaw; and eight grinders: four toes on the fore, and five on the hind feet; and the body covered with spines, intermixed with hair.†

To a superficial observer, they would seem entitled to a place among the Hedgehogs; but they have no farther similitude than merely in the spiny covering of their bodies. None of the species are supposed to be carnivorous.

THE COMMON PORCUPINE.

The general length of this Porcupine, is about two feet and a half from the head to the end of the tail. The upper parts of the animal are covered with hard and sharp spines, some of which measure from nine to fifteen inches in length: these are variegated with alternate black and white rings; and as some of them are attached to the skin only by a delicate pedicle, they easily fall off. They are complete quills, wanting only the vane to be real fea

* The Linnean Order GLIRES commences with the Porcupines. † Linn. Gmel. i. 118.

SYNONYMS.-Hystrix Cristata. Linn.-Crested Porcupine. Pennant.-Porc-epic. Buffon-Shaw's Gen. Zool. pl. 122.-Bew. Quad.

444.