The Hedgehogs I l l
any of the other local races. His dimensions of . three British specimens are as
follows:
Male from Cardiff: Head and body, 263 mm. Tail, 20 mm. Hind foot, 43 mm.
„ Haddingtonshire „ 218 „ „ 17 „ „ 4 2 »
„ co. Clare „ 252 „ „ 30 „ „ 40 „
Dr. Lonnberg severely criticised Captain Barrett-Hamilton’s remarks, and
showed that the cranial characters were not constant in Scandinavian Hedgehogs.
Captain Barrett-Hamilton1 admits that he was perhaps relying on insufficient evidence,
his range of specimens being too small; but the fact remains that though the
characters may not be absolutely constant, he was able to distinguish the British
specimens in the national collection from all the others. We give his reply to
Dr. Lonnberg. ‘ Relying on the rule that such differences, even if slight, are
usually not meaningless, I assumed that they would be borne out by a larger
series of specimens than I at that time had before me. Dr. Lonnberg finds that
this is not s o ; and I can only say that, while I am sorry that my opinion seems
to have been erroneous, I am only too glad to find here in the Hedgehog another
check to those who, while refusing to recognise colour differences, pin their faith
with an inconsistent fidelity on what are frequently the shadowy characters of the
cranium.’ These characters, he points out, may be abnormal where they differ from
the majority, ‘ a fact which, when still larger numbers are available, may yet prove
the saving of my subdivision of the Hedgehogs.’
Distribution.— The European Hedgehog is found throughout the greater part
of Europe, ranging from central Scandinavia to Spain and Italy. In Spain the
colour is often, at any rate, paler, and in many cases the bristles lack the black
central band, and in Italy also, according to Captain Barrett-Hamilton, the animal
is slightly paler. In Asia allied forms have been described by different names;
and a specimen from Roumania closely approached the Syrian form in colour.
In Syria we have E . concolor, Martin2; in Siberia, E . sibiricus, Erxleben; in
Eastern China, E . dealbcitus of R. Swinhoe; and in Amurland, E . europceus var.
amurensis of L. v. Schrenck.
In England the Hedgehog is widely distributed, being found in every county.
It occurs in the market gardens within a few miles of London, and indeed is
everywhere common, in spite of constant persecution by farmers and gamekeepers.
It is common over the arable land at the foot of the Welsh and Lake District
Ann. Mag. vi. 245. 2 Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837, p.