ed each counter attack.

The hedgehog's first experience of snake-killing occurred late one
evening, when she discovered a viper, some distance from its hole,
coiled asleep on a bare patch of soil where the sunlight had lingered at
the close of day. Her manner instantly changed; she became eager and
alert. Pausing only a second to make sure of her attack, she bit the
snake sharply near the neck, then, withdrawing her head and limbs into
the shelter of her spines, rolled over, an inanimate ball. The viper,
mad with pain, thrust back its head from its sinuous coils, rose, and
struck with open jaws at its assailant. Its fangs closed strongly, but
failed to get a grip, and the smooth underside of its throat glanced
past the hedgehog's slanting prickles with such force that the whole
body of the snake was lifted from the ground, and fell, like a bent
arrow, about a yard behind its foe. Again the snake rose, and struck
with no effect; but this time the stroke, coming from the rear, was met
by the sharp points of the spines, and the adder's mouth dropped blood
from a clean-cut wound on the upper edge of the palate. Repeatedly, the
snake, hissing loudly and fighting for its life, attacked its armoured
enemy--at first dashing itself senselessly against the sharp points of
the hedgehog's spines, then, with caution, swaying to and fro its
bleeding head and snapping harmlessly at an apparently unguarded spot,
till, from sheer exhaustion and pain, and with its store of poison
almost exhausted, it retired from the unequal combat and slowly wriggled
into the grass. Presently, the "urchin" uncoiled, and, as soon as the
inquisitive little snout discovered the whereabouts of the snake,
started in pursuit. With a hard, firm bite, she luckily managed to break
the backbone of the viper; then, at once, she again assumed the shape of
a ball. Desperate now, the snake expended all its remaining strength in
wild attacks, till, limp and helpless, and utterly at the mercy of the
hedgehog, it lay outstretched. Then the relentless hedgehog, assured
that her prey was quite defenceless, severed almost every bone in its
body, tore the scales from the flesh, and fed to repletion.

Such a struggle often happens in the fields and the woodlands. During
the first few weeks of life, the hedgehog, if its parents are absent,
may be at the adder's mercy; but, later, the tables are completely
turned, the once helpless creature becomes the strong aggressor, and i