INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 39

others concerning masses of congealed blood being observed
near a patient who has been attacked by a South American
vampire.”
ORDER It. ‘Jnsect-eating animals (Jnsectivore) include
Insect-Hating several families, of which the hedgehogs, the
Animals. moles and the shrews, are the best known genera.
The Colugo is perhaps the most singular member of the
order. According to some writers his proper place is among
the lemurs, and except that his feet are adorned with
claws instead of nails, it is easy to understand why he
might be classed with the quadrumana. The Colugo is
covered from head to foot by a furry membrane, resembling
an overcoat open in front and ending in a three cornered
flap at the tail.
Tho The family of the hedgehog contains two genera
Hedgehog. and a number of species. Its length is from six
to ten inches; the head, back, and sides being covered with
short spines, the under parts with soft hair. It lives in
thickets, and subsists on fruits, roots, and insects. During the
winter, it lies imbedded in moss, or dried leaves, in a state of
torpidity. It inhabits Europe, Asia and Africa. It is valuable
in the garden for destroying the insects, and in the kitchen
for the extermination of cockroaches, beetles and other house-
hold pests. For defence, it rolls itself into a ball in such a
manner as to present its prickly spines on all sides. In this
condition it can suffer considerable violence without injury.
Mr. Bell mentions a hedgehog that was in the habit of
running to the edge of an area wall twelve or fourteen feet
high, and without a moment’s pause, leap over, contracting
into a ball as he fell, and in this form reaching the ground,
where it quietly unfolded itself as if nothing had happened
and ran on its way. It is nocturnal in its habits and in its
natural state lives in pairs. It is easily tamed. A hedgehog
has been trained to serve as a turnspit “as well,” says Captain
Brown, “in all respects as the dog of that denomination. In