A Hedgehog's Behaviour An item about a hedgehog comes in
a letter from Mr. W. A. Thomson of Newtonmore, Inverness, and bears out my belief that, with animals not accustomed to being hunted or injured by man, it is the jerky or excited movement of man himself that induces fear, 'Looking out of a back window on a recent night,' writes Mr. Thompson, ' I saw on the path, which is sprinkled with cones and pine needles, a hedgehog moving quickly short distances, here and there, nose to the ground, searching in the steady downpour of rain for its foodstuffs. It was fascinating to have such a close and continuous view. I slipped out of door and tip-toed to where it ha come to a stop at the end of the house. I kept perfectly still and I spoke some kin words to it, still motionless. I picked a Ion grass and stroked gently over its face an snout hoping to see the spines go up as rolled into a ball but still there was no mov meet. As the rain was still falling, and bcin minus a coat I left the attractive little anim alone and returned to the house. I was and the impression that hedgehogs were nervou of humans and curled up on bein approached, their eyesight being poor.'
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