Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-10-30
THE HEDGEHOG.
A Good Word For Funny Little Animal.
Ending Its Food.


Few young people have good idea
Of the shape and appearance of hedge
hog. When we break the name into two
parts, we see the first tells us of its
habits The hedgehog is wild animal
which, if we come upon it at all, we
shall be likely to find running along
bank under hedge. The other half,
hog, means that he is piggish, in shape
at least if not in greediness. Although
he has had a bad character given him
for long time, he does noa,quite de-
serve what has been writtA against
him. If he has faults, he has good quail
ties, too, and may be made useful.
The mother hedgehogs take great care
of their blind little ones, for they do
not see till week old. At first they
are not spiny, but are covered with
rough HAIR. Their cry to the mother is
shrill and rather like the note of
child's whistle. The nest is in some
hole, and it is their usual habit to sleep
through the winter rolled up snug and
warm. When kept in confinement, they
wv IoU 5lSCp SoiilIly w llNl LII lIiO
wild state, but wake up now and then
between autumn and spring, wanting
then somthing to eat. This torpid state
in winter shows that they feed chiefly
upon insects, which, of course, are not
to be had III cold weather except by
digging. At any time of the year hedge
hogs seldom go out hunting during day
light.
When it is needful to protect himself
from dogs or other foes, the hedgehog
has plan of his own, and an excellent
one too. Some animals run away from
their enemies, or they hide themselves.
Some try to fight them. The hedgehog
forms himself into a prickly ball and
waits till his enemy is tired of rolling
him about In the spines of the hedge
hog we see there is lightness as well as
strength. The inside of each spine is
elastic, and each fits into muscle
which lifts or lowers it. Owing to it's
spines a hedgehog can jump from a
height of 10 Or 10 feet without be-
ing hurt People sometimes speak of
hedgehogs as if they were slow quad
rupeds, but their pace is really quick.
They are fond of water, and float upon
it with delight. When tanned, hedge
hog will let himself be washed, and if
he knows the person he lowers his quilts
so as not to hurt the hand of the washer.
Some folk have said that hedgehogs
suck the milk from cows, but that is
really an impossible thing for them to
do. Also they have been accused of
sucking the eggs of poultry, but this is
doubtful A gentleman who kept one u
good while tried him with eggs of all
sizes, but he would not touch any of
them. A hedgehog has been caught in
the act of feasting himself upon a store
of apples in a barn, and some of these
animals must plead guilty to killing
young rabbits or birds which come with
in reach. Insects, snails and such small
fry are their chief food. If a hedgehog
gets hold of soft insect, he bites it up
at once. Should it be hard, he steadies
himself and holds the insect in his
paws to nibble at it slowly. One of the
good things which the hedgehog does is
that it kills vipers When these como
in the way, there is a tough fight be-
tween the quadruped and the snake, but
the hedgehog always conquers, for he
is we'll protected from the sting.
People sometimes keep hedgehogs in
their houses or in gardens for the pur-
pose of destroying insects which may
be numerous and troublesome, such as
the common black beetle Or coclroach.
A hedgehog, if kept in the house, must
be provided with box to shelter in,
having inside a lining of hay Or paper
shavings. He will eat up scraps from
the table or even relish bits of bread
soaked in milk, learning to come when
he is called. Some have even succeeded
in making a hedgehog quite pet, but of
course, as he may have fancy for seiz-
ing bird, it is well to take care that
he has not the chance of getting at any
favorites in the house or of visiting the
chickens in the poultry yard.