618 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



A careful search in the annals of natural history will 

 eventually put on the list of 'killed by Porcupine' every savage 

 flesh-eater in the region where the Quill-pig dwells; even the 

 Bear has paid with his life, for an unjudicious attempt to eat 

 the quill-clad rodent of the pines. 



And well it knows its power. At Gal Pond, Adirondacks, 

 August 4, 1908, I saw many fresh signs around — new-cut 

 branches of poplar, and dung — and on glancing about, found a 

 young Porcupine in a poplar, some 10 feet up. My guide took 

 a pole and pushed it off; then we put a noose on its foot and 

 took it out into the sun to get photographic light. Though 

 but a half-grown female, it lashed its tail savagely, and chat- 

 tered defiance with its teeth. On being put on a log that had 

 fallen into the water, it ran to the far end, and when I followed, 

 it hacked toward me lashing its tail. Then it took to the water 

 and swam to the farther shore, some 50 yards away. 



That same day at West Pond, as we sat quietly on a bank, 

 a large Porcupine came ambling through the woods. He saw 

 us as soon as we saw him, though 30 yards apart, and made 

 for a tree with amazing celerity. Before we could get near 

 he was safe in the upper branches. I was for climbing, but 

 the guide said it was dangerous to go after a 'Porky.' As 

 soon as it knows the hunter is near, it will back down quickly, 

 lashing its tail. In this way a friend of his had had his arm 

 filled with quills and suffered terribly, as the arm swelled up 

 as big as a leg, and the man was laid up for weeks. Having 

 several times previously seen a Porcupine 'face' a man in that 

 way, I did not climb the tree; the "Hedgehog," as the guide 

 miscalled it, was left in peace, and we went on more than ever 

 impressed with the idea that even man must render due re- 

 spect on approaching the quilly grunter. 



ENEMIES Who then are the enemies that this fearless one should 



fear ? Setting the least first, we must begin with forest-fires. 

 The Deer and the Wolf can run before them or turn aside to 

 purer air, but the slow Porcupine is enveloped in stifling fumes 



