FAUNA AMERICANA. 191 



terminated with yellowish-white ; a cinereus co- 

 loured down next the skin ; simple stiff bay-colour- 

 ed hair on the tail ; belly, legs and feet equally 

 covered with hair, but of a blackish-brown, as well 

 as the snout. 



Habit. The}'^ make their nests or dwelling 

 place beneath the roots of hollow trees ; they fly 

 the water and fear to soil themselves ; they sleep 

 much, and feed principally on the bark and leaves 

 of the hemlock, (pinus canadensis) and i)asswood, 

 (tilia glabra;) they have been known to strip trees 

 of their foliage, in the same manner as the sloths; 

 they are, however, fond of sweet apples, corn, &c. 

 which they eat holding in their fore claws in a 

 sitting posture. The Indians say they are ex- 

 cellent food. When they are discovered on the 

 ground, which seldom happens, they do not strive 

 to get out of the way, but on being approached, 

 immediately spread the spines situated near the 

 tail over the whole of the back. 



The female brings forth annually, three or four 

 at a birth, after a gestation of about forty days. 



Inhabit the northern parts of the United States. 

 According to the account of Mr. F. Cozzens, 

 (Vid. Annals of the Lyceum of Nat. Hist, of New 

 York, vol. i. p. 190, 1824,) to whom we have 

 been chiefly indebted for the above details con- 

 cerning the habits of this singular animal : of late 

 years they have multiplied greatly, and have be- 

 come numerous near the Oneida lake, and in the 



