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spines or prickles, which he erects when irritated. He is no more than ten inches in length; and, by rolling himself in the shape of a ball, can resist the attack of his strongest enemies, among which are the cat, the weasel, the marten, and the dog. His common food consists of apples, grapes, and other fruits; and far from being a noxious animal in a garden, he soon destroys the worms and snails, which he feeds upon when he finds no windfall to devour. Hedgehogs inhabit most parts of Europe. Some are also found in Asia, but of a smaller size. Notwithstanding its formidable appearance, the Hedgehog is one of the most harmless animals in the world. While other creatures trust to their force, their cunning, or their swiftness, this quadruped, destitute of all, has but one expedient for safety, and from this alone it generally finds protection. The instant it perceives an enemy, it withdraws all its vulnerable parts, rolls itself into a ball, and presents nothing to view but a round mass of spines, impervious on every side. When the Hedgehog is thus rolled up, the cat, the weasel, the ferret, and the marten quickly decline the combat; and the dog himself generally spends his time in empty menaces rather than in effectual efforts, while the little animal waits patiently till its enemy, by retiring, affords an opportunity for retreat.

Buffon, who kept these animals tame about his house, acquits them also of the reproach of being mischievous in the garden, but he accuses them of other tricks, which their form and habits would never induce one to suspect. " I have often," says this naturalist, "had the female and her young brought to me, about the beginning of June; and being willing to rear some of them, I once put the dam and her family in a tub, with an ample supply of provision : but the old animal, instead of suckling her young, devoured them all, one after another."

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MERITS the closest observation of the philosopher, and his admiration of the variety of means which nature employs to preserve the continuance of the species. The young of the Opossum are brought forth, as it should seem, before their time, and the finishing of their formation is performed in a bag which the mother has under her belly, in which they find a place of security, and whither they retire at the approach of danger. This animal is about the size of a badger, with a long tail, and sits up easily on his hinder legs. He is an inhabitant of Virginia, and feeds upon fish, birds, and vegetables. He frequently hangs by the tail, which is very muscular; and in this situation watches his prey for hours together. If any lesser animal, which it is able to overcome, happen to pass underneath, it drops upon it with unerring aim, and quickly devours it. By means of its tail, it likewise slings from tree to tree, hunts insects, escapes its pursuers, and provides for its safety. It may be easily tamed, but is a disagreeable domestic, as well from its

figure and stupidity as its musky scent. The American Indians spin the hair of the Opossum and dye it red, and then weave it into girdles and other parts of their dress. The flesh of these animals is white and well tasted, and is preferred by the Indians to pork: that of the young ones eats very much like the sucking pig.

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A SINGULAR genus of animals; their principal character consists in their having very short fore legs, and very long hinder ones. This creature is about the size of a rat; the head resembles that of a rabbit with long whiskers; the tail is ten inches long, and terminated by a tuft of black hair. The fur of the body is tawny, except the breast and throat, and part of the belly, which are white. The Jerboa is very active and lively, always walks on the hinder feet, and jumps and springs, when pursued, six or seven feet from the ground. He burrows like the rabbit, and feeds like the squirrel; he is a native of Egypt, and all the adjacent countries.

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This very singular species of quadruped was first discovered in New South Wales by Sir Joseph Bankes, while accompanying Captain Cook in his first circumnavigation of the world. It is of the opossum kind, but bearing also a great affinity in shape and manners with the jerboa, though considerably larger, the body being upwards of three feet in length; the fore feet are armed with five claws, and the hind ones with three, the middle one resembling a strong hoof, and considerably larger than the others. The Kanguroo neither runs nor walks, but leaps with great swiftness on his hinder legs. Its fur is short and soft, of a reddish ash colour, lighter on the lower parts. It is furnished with a pouch, similar to the opossum, in which its young are nursed and sheltered. The Kanguroo is the only quadruped our colonists have yet met with in New South Wales that supplies them with animal food. He feeds entirely on vegetables. In their wild state, these animals are said to feed in herds of thirty or forty together, while one is stationed at a distance from the rest, as if on the watch.

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THE SLUGGARD, SLOTH, OR POTTO,

As he is called by the Negroes, is the most idle and listless of all breathing creatures. He can hardly be said to have been endowed by Providence with locomotion, as his crawling on the earth, or climbing the trees, is not only long and slow, but also attended with difficulty and groanings. The faint sound Ai, which he utters when labouring along, has been the cause of his being called by this name.

The Sloth subsists entirely upon vegetable food; and, as it requires a considerable share of provision, it generally strips a tree of all its verdure in less than a fortnight. It then falls to devouring the bark, and thus, in a short time, destroys the very source of its support. When this is the case, being unable to descend, it is obliged to drop from the branches to the ground; and after remaining some time torpid, from the violence of its fall, it prepares for a tedious, dangerous, and painful migration to some neighbouring tree, which is soon killed like the former.

The look of this animal is so piteous as to excite compassion; and is also accompanied with tears, that dissuade every one from injuring so wretched a being.

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