英国学生科学读本 第79期:扎人的刺猬(2)

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　　凭借这些锋利的工具, 刺猬能够在树根或老墙之下打洞穿行, 通常也都在这些地方安家落户。

　　The hedgehog has no less than thirty-six teeth in his mouth, twenty being in the upper and sixteen in the lower jaw². With these teeth the little animal seizes and crushes the insects on which he chiefly lives.

　　刺猬的嘴巴中至少有三十六颗牙齿, 其中二十颗长在上颚, 另外十六颗分布在下颚。凭借这些牙齿, 刺猬就可以咬住并撕碎捕食到的昆虫。

　　Many people keep a hedgehog in their cellars and kitchens, to get rid of cockroaches³, for he soon eats up these troublesome little insects. The hedgehog also eats earth-worms, snails⁴, and slugs, and does much good in this way. He does a little harm, too, by eating roots and seeds. Hedgehogs kept as pets soon become fond of bread and milk.

　　很多人都会在地窖或厨房中饲养一只刺猬, 因为有了它的存在, 蟑螂这种烦人的昆虫很快就会销声匿迹。刺猬还会捕食蚯蚓、蜗牛以及鼻涕虫, 这对人类来说非常有益。不过它也会干坏事：有时候吞食植物的根部与种子。我们发现, 那些宠物刺猬很快就会喜欢上面包与牛奶。

　　We do not often see the hedgehog in our morning walks, for he does his walking during the night. He sleeps all day, and at night he goes forth⁵ to hunt for insects and other food. He sleeps through all the cold winter, too, lying snugly⁶ coiled up in his nest under the roots of some old tree.

　　我们在清晨散步时很少能够看到刺猬, 因为它习惯在夜间活动。白天, 它休养生息；晚上, 它便出动捕食昆虫或寻觅其他食物。到了寒冷的冬天, 它便躲在老树树根下的小窝中, 蜷成一团, 舒适地享受着整整一个冬天的美梦。

　　The hedgehog has not very keen sight, but he can smell things very well. As he runs after his prey⁷ he makes a squeaking⁸ noise. If you have a tame hedgehog, you must not be surprised when you hear his funny little voice at night just as you are going to sleep.

　　刺猬的视力非常差劲, 不过嗅觉却极为灵敏。当它追捕猎物的时候就会发出吱吱的叫声。如果你饲养了一只宠物刺猬, 那么当你晚上准备睡觉的时候如果听到它发出那种有趣的小动静, 请不要吃惊。

　　Never injure or torment⁹ a hedgehog if you meet one in the lanes or fields. He is doing good by seeking for the insects which would otherwise eat the crops and garden-plants. He also attacks and kills snakes of all kinds, and it is said that he does not fear the bite of poisonous snakes.

　　如果你在小路上或者野地里看到一只刺猬, 请不要伤害或者折磨它。因为它总是在捕食那些可能对庄稼与花草造成危害的昆虫, 它对人类有益。刺猬还会攻击与捕杀各种蛇类, 据说, 就算是被毒蛇咬上一口, 它也根本不会受到伤害。

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