or HEDGE-HOG, in zoology, a genus of quadrupeds belonging to the order of ferae, the characters of which are these: they have two foreteeth in the upper-jaw, at a considerable distance from one another, and two in the under jaw, less distant; and they have two recumbent dog-teeth, one on each side. There are three species, viz. 1. The europaeus, or common hedge-hog, with round ears, and crested nostrils. It is about nine inches long; the upper part of the body is totally covered with sharp prickles, and the under part is covered with hair. The hedge-hog, even when standing on his legs, has a very ugly aspect. His body is an oblong mass, convex above, terminated on the fore-part by a very sharp muzzle, and mounted on four short legs, of which nothing appears but the feet, and the tail is not discernible. His ears are broad, round, and short; and his eyes are small and protuberant. The length of his body, from the point of the muzzle to the anus, is about nine inches.

The hedge-hog has a very uncommon method of defending himself from the attacks of other animals: being possessed of little strength or agility, he does not attempt to fly from or 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 sharp weapons of defence; he will not unfold himself, unless thrown into water; the more he is frightened or harassed, the closer he shuts himself up, and frequently discharges his urine, which has a very foetid and loathsome smell. While in this state, most dogs, instead of biting him, stand off and bark, nor daring to seize him; or, if they attempt it once, their mouths are so pricked with his bristles, that they cannot be prevailed on to attempt it a second time. Both the male and female are covered with bristles from the head to the tail. These bristles are of great use in defending them from other animals; but must be very inconvenient when they incline to copulate. This operation they cannot perform in the manner of other quadrupeds; but do it face to face, either standing on end, or the female lying on her back. The females come in season in the spring, and bring forth their young in the beginning of summer. They commonly bring forth three or four, and sometimes five, at a time. The young ones are of a whitish colour, and only the points of the bristles appear above the skin. It is impossible to tame them: the mother and her young have frequently been confined together, and furnished with plenty of provisions: but, instead of nourishing them, she uniformly devoured them one after another. Males and females have likewise been kept in one apartment, where they lived, but never copulated. Hedge-hogs feed upon fallen fruits, some roots, and insects: they are very fond of flesh-meat, whether raw or roasted. They frequent woods, and live under the trunks of old trees, in the chinks of rocks, or under large stones. Naturalists alledge that they go into gardens, mount the trees, and come down with pears, apples, or plumbs, stuck upon their bristles. But this is a mistake: although kept in a garden, they never attempt to climb trees, or stick even fallen fruit upon their bristles, but lay hold of their food with their mouth. They never come out of their holes in the day, but go about in quest of food during the night. They eat but little, and can live very long without taking any nourishment. They do not lay up any store of provisions in harvest; such an instinct would be useless, as they sleep all the winter. See Plate LXXIV. fig. 6.

2. The inauris, or white hedge hog, has no external ears. It is a native of America.

3. The malacensis, has hanging ears, and is a native of Asia.