470 THE PORCUPINE. 



This animal inhabits many parts of the world, being found in Africa, Southern Europe, 

 and India. The spines, or quills, with which it is furnished, vary considerably in length, the 

 longest quills being flexible, and not capable of doing much harm to an opponent. Beneath 

 these is a plentiful supply of shorter spines, from five to ten inches in length, which are the 

 really effective weapons of this imposing array. Their hold on the skin is very slight, so that 

 when they have been struck into a foe, they remain fixed in the wound, and, unless imme- 

 diately removed, work sad woe to the sufferer. For the quill is so constructed, that it grad- 

 ually bores its way into the flesh, burrowing deeper at every movement, and sometimes even 

 causing the death of the wounded creature. In Africa and India, leopards and tigers have 

 frequently been killed, in whose flesh were pieces of Porcupine quills that had penetrated 

 deeply into the body, and had even caused suppuration to take place. In one instance, a tiger 

 was found to have his paws, ears, and head filled with the spines of a Porcupine, which he 

 had vainly been endeavoring to kill. 



Conscious of its powers, the Porcupine is not at all an aggressive animal, and seldom, if 

 ever, makes an unprovoked attack. But if irritated or wounded, it becomes at once a very 

 unpleasant antagonist, as it spreads out its bristles widely, and rapidly backs upon its oppo- 

 nent. There are few horses which will face an irritated Porcupine ; and even the preliminary 

 rustle of the quills with which a Porcupine generally prepares every attack, is sufficient to 

 make an ordinary horse flee in terror. The rustling sound is produced by a number of hollow 

 quills which grow upon the Porcupine's tail, and which, when that member is agitated, clash 

 against each other with a sound very like the peculiar ruining of a peacock's train. 



The Porcupine is a nocturnal animal, seldom venturing out of its retreat as long as the 

 sun is above the horizon, and is therefore not often seen even in the localities which it most 

 prefers. It is said not to require the presence of water, but to quench its thirst by eating the 

 succulent roots and plants which it digs out of the ground. Its food is entirely of a vegetable 

 nature, and consists of various kinds of herbage, as well as of bark, fruit, and roots. This 

 animal takes up its abode in deep burrows which it excavates, and in which it is supposed to 

 undergo a partial hibernation. 



As the spines of the Porcupines are of some commercial value, and are used for many 

 purposes, the chase of the animal is rather popular in the countries which it inhabits, and 

 derives a further interest from the fact that the Porcupine, although a timid creature, can 

 make a very powerful resistance when it is driven to despair. In fighting, it depends wholly 

 on its quills, and does not attempt to make the least use of its strong and sharp incisor teeth, 

 which are able to cut their way through the hardest wood as if it were butter, and would inflict 

 most dangerous wounds. So far, indeed, is it from making any use of these formidable 

 weapons, that its first care is to protect its head, being probably led to that course of action 

 by its fear for its nose, which is so sensitive that the animal is stunned by a comparatively 

 slight blow on that organ. 



It does not appear to be very susceptible of domestication, probably because it cannot find 

 teachers who are sufficiently fearless of its quills to pay very close attention to it. With the 

 exception of the hollow quills in the tail, the spines are encircled with alternate rings of black 

 and white, producing a very rich contrast of coloring. The upper parts of the body are 

 covered with hair instead of quills, and upon the head and neck there is a kind of crest, com- 

 posed of very long stiff hairs, which can be erected or depressed at pleasure. Like the hedge- 

 hog, it can coil itself into a ball when it is surprised at a distance from its haven of refuge, 

 and can present such an array of threatening spikes, that it is quite safe from any enemy 

 excepting man. When, however, the animal is at peace, it is capable of depressing the brist- 

 ling spears, and can squeeze itself through an opening which would appear at first sight to be 

 hardly large enough to permit the passage of an animal of only half its size. 



The total length of the common Porcupine is about three feet six inches, the tail being 

 about six inches long. Its gait is plantigrade, slow, and clumsy, and as it walks, its long 

 quills shake and rattle in a very curious manner. Its muzzle is thick and heavy, and its eyes 

 small and pig-like. 



