Porcupine (>19 



that extend their path of death for miles down wind, and the 

 higher it cHmbs the surer its fate. For three years after the 

 1898 forest fire on the White River Plateau of Colorado no 

 Porcupines were seen. 



But the fire is local and transient. The knight of many 

 spears carries a worse foe within its own mail, — most adults 

 seem more or less infected with tapeworms. 



Next and chief on the list of natural foes is the Fisher or 

 Pekan. It is the testimony of all northern naturalists that the 

 Fisher can and does habitually prey on the Quill-pig. 



As already noted, the Spiny's position of defence is with 

 head thrust under any log or root, or, failing that, between its 

 own fore-legs, its belly hugging the ground, while its tail with 

 lashings much more dreadful than those of lion or bull tail, 

 girds blindly at the foe. But the Pekan, with foxy craft, and 

 arrowy speed, attacks, not with foolish canine jaw, but, with 

 insidious catlike paw inserted underneath, upsets the dull, 

 dazed skinner of the trees, and tears its belly open ere it can 

 regain its unvulnerable pose. 



Why the Pekan does not suffer as do others of the red- 

 toothed kind is unknown. It is speared enough, as will be 

 seen in the history of that species, yet seems to live. Once 

 only have I heard of a Fisher that succumbed to the barbs 

 of the vengeful Quill-pig." 



Man is the worst and last on the list. The Indians kill 

 the Porcupine for food. The white hunters, who will not eat 

 its rank, flabby meat, kill it because it is a constant danger to 

 the dogs. The lumbermen kill it because it girdles young 

 trees, or comes about his shanty at night to gnaw his wooden 

 tools or rattle its teeth on his iron pans, to the utter abolition 

 of calm repose; thus ruthless sentence of death has been 

 passed on the race with obvious results. 



Against infrequent fires and winter-famished Fishers useto 

 the Porcupine still could live, but man was overmuch, the bal- 

 ance turned. Porkey grew scarce in all the lumber-woods. 



" See Fisher article, Vol. II. 



