West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-12-21


In my body was broken. Ii fairly took
my breath away
But did not hit the bottom as had
feared ] should, and being tolerably well
USED TO the water, | got clear of the
branches and came 10 the surface. feel
ing good deal shaken up. NV ears
were ringing too, and didn't feel like
giving much attention Just then 90 the
hedgehog. As he wasn't in sight. sun
pose he had sunk in the water.
FOR more than week after that. |
had the greatest difficulty in sleepinp
/ would no sooner lose myself i'm sleen
before would dream of falling, and il
seemed as if | were going, going, going.
down into water. The feeling was so
real that | would sometimes iump in
actual fright, out of bed.
How often, while out trapping or
cunning, have i had 10 sit down on q
log to pull the hedgehogs quills out Of
my dogs nose, and out of his mouth, too /!
This, indeed, is one of the commonest
incidents with the sportsman in New
England and Canada.
some dogs seem To avoid biting n
! hedgehog from natural instincts or intel
hgence, but the greater number have no
such prudence, and not even sad expe-
]
! tonishing how many of the uuills q dog
will get in his nose from Just once touch
ing or biting a hedgehog. | have seen
mouth and nose completely studded
with quills from single grip.
But getting them out OF the flesh is
another thing. In fact, it is equally
amazing-even after observing the tiny
barbs with which the quills are fur
nished how they will cling in the
wound. 1t often happens that the more
you try to pull them out, the further
they will work into the flesh, and not
unfrequently they will come out in
other parts of the body.
Pulling quilts out of dogs nose has
Its risks, and sometimes is very diff
cult piece of business All the various
traits OF the canine nature show them
selves under this trying operation. |
have seen a dog hold perfectly quiet.
and bear the really terrible pain which
the tearing out of these quills must in
/ hict, with patience which was some
thing more than human.
More commonly, however, the ex-
tracing of the quills has 10 be done bv
main force, the dog turning fairly wild
and frantic with the anguish. The best
way IN such a case is to get stout stick
long enough to hold on each side of
the Jaws-into the dogs mouth, thus
forcing the mouth open, and preventing
the creature from swapping. But even
this device will sometimes prove inn
practicable.
wild animals are more prudent and
sagacious than dogs in dealing with
hedgehogs. At least, think that bears
are, Tor the following reason:
One day, while out cunning, saw
a most amusing thing 1t was on a hill.
side, in the midst of an old fire-fen.
over which a rank second growth of
cherry and poplars had sprung up,
with a profusion of high briers, making
1t fne place for partridges.
/ was moving along through this
second growth very cautiously, when, to
my surprise, came upon bear, not
more than five or six rods off, and a
very large one. The animal was smell
ing and nosing abouta great pine stump
round which stood the pale green stems
OF three or four thrifty poplars.
The bear had not heard me, being in
tent on something or other inside or
under the stump. Very gently, / drew
down into the briers out of sight.
had nothing but two charges of light
shot IN my gun, and this bear looked
big and burly. His great broad head
seemed as large as a peck measure. If
one is going to shoot at such bear as
that, he needs bullets.
First, the brute would peep down
under the stump, beside one of the
great bleached roots, growl a low note,
then thrust in paw and reach for
something. Soon he began TO tear and
wrench at the stump, which was old and
decayed. IL cracked and split under
the animals great strength
OFF came one side of the stump, with
| part of the root. IL was full of ants.
that came swaTmiug out. They got ON
the bear, and il was amusing to zee his
| conduct He thew himself amongst the
dry leaves and rolled and snapped at
them, throwing a cloud of the leaves
into the air. Then he would lump up
and fly at the stump again, tearing and
rending 10 with his great claws.
One or twice, a. the ants swarmed out,
] saw him brush them into his mouth
began 70 think IL was the ants he was
digging for. But IL vas not, for a few
minutes after he got down 10 the game,
aud with one paw scOOped out a small
reddish, hairy ball, and sent II rolling
ten or q dozen feet.
1t first sight, ! took it for wood.
chuck, but soon perceived il to be
hedgehog, coiled in ball, with it
quilts bristling. The bear sniRed 10.
aud rolled 1t gingerly over, but did not
/ attempt 10 bite It, Then ne worked one
paw under 1t, and sent It spinning thirty
or forty feet.
This maneuver was repeated some half
a-dozen times, when, either from acct
/ dent or design, the hedgehog was thrown
violently against the trunk Of tree.
| When IL fell 10 went out Of my sight
but ! presume that the shock either
killed or stunned it, 20 as to cause il 10
| partially uncoil for the bear imme.
diately began tearing and eating it.
J remained quiet, and in tho course
OF ten or fifteen minutes, the bear
! finished his dinner, and then stalked of.
After waiting q little longer, ! came
out OF my hiding place.
On going 70 the spot, found the skin
OF the hedgehog only. It had been torn
open along the belly, and the carcass
nicely peeled out. i would give
! triiie to know whether the bear actually
did kill and eat 10 without getting any
OF the quills into either its paw or
[ mouth IL -.