A VERY LARGE PORCUPINE. 239 



with Coghlan and Louis, commenced to climb 

 the mountain, carrying light packs, whilst our 

 friends and Gage started down river in their 

 canoe. As the day^vent on the weather imx^roved, 

 and early in the night the sky became quite 

 clear. At the same time it became rapidly 

 colder, and before morning the temperature 

 must have fallen to below zero. 



On our way up the mountain we came across 

 a very large porcupine, which, as usual with 

 these animals, made no attempt to hurry out of 

 our way, but came to a halt when anyone 

 approached it, and stood ready to strike its 

 enemies with its spin}^ tail. When one held 

 the sole of one's boot close above its back it 

 would give a flick and leave several short quills 

 sticking in the leather or rubber. These little 

 quills have serated edges, and if they should 

 pierce the skin of an animal that cannot at once 

 extract them, they work gradually deeper and 

 deeper into the flesh ; so that in spite of its 

 slothful movements the porcupine of North 

 -America is probably but seldom molested by 

 predatory animals. 



