THE PORCUPINE FAMILY 



{Erctlii::oiitild(r) 



HE Porcupines belong to a separate family from the other North American 

 Rodents — their outward dress alone serving to distinguish them from other 

 animals, were there no other marks. They are thick-set Rodents, having long 

 sharp spines loosely attached to the skin. The skull has a short blunt facial 

 portion. The molars are more or less completely rooted. 



The short thick tail, short legs, and plantigrade feet are also characteristic 

 of our native species, although foreign types differ, one kind in South America 

 having a long tail for clinging, like our Opossum. The spines barbed at the 

 tip are scattered among the hair, pointing backward, but may be elevated 

 by muscular contraction. They are so loosely set that they readily stick to 

 other objects, but the animal has no power to discharge them. The 



Porcupine family in North America falls into two fairly well-marked groups. 



CANADA PORCUPINE 

 Erethizon dorsatum {Linnaeus) 



Other Name.— Quill Pig. 



General Description. — A very large rodent with 

 thick-set body and iielage containing numerous sharp 

 barbed spines, exceeded in size among American rodents 

 only by the Beaver. Head blunt and rounded ; facial 

 region short ; ears of moderate height ; body very 

 stout and thickset; tail about one-fifth length of head 

 and body, thick and muscular ; legs short ; four toes 

 on fore feet, five on hind feet ; lips hairy ; pelage 

 composed of three elements, a short, fairly soft under- 

 fur, very long coarse hair forming the outer fur, and 

 numerous stout spines set loosely in skin and barbed 

 at tips. These spines have lost all resemblance to hairs. 

 Coloration dark. 



I — I 

 I — I ■ 



Canines, 



Pre- 



Molars, f;:f=20. 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, 

 molars. — j 



Pelage. — Adults : Sexes identical. No marked sea- 

 sonal variation. General coloration blackish ; long 

 hairs of dorsal surface yellowish-white at tip ; quills 

 white with dark tips, ordinarily fairly well concealed 

 by the long hairs ; underfur blackish-slate; quills longest 

 on lower back and tail ; quills not found on under sur- 

 face ; below brownish-black ; tail colored like back. 

 Young: Similar to adults, spines shorter, and light tips 

 Jo hairs not so conspicuous. 



Measurements. — Total length. 35 inches ; tail, 5.5 

 to 6.5 inches ; hind foot, 3.5 inches. Weight, 30 pounds. 



Range. — From 40° north latitude in eastern North 

 .America to Hudson Bay, northwest to Arctic circle 

 and Alaska. 



Food. — Chiefly bark and twigs of willow, hemlock 

 and other trees. Decided craving shown for salt. 



Remarks. — There are si.x varieties in North America 

 falling into two fairly well-marked groups differing 

 mainly in coloration ; those of the Canadian Porcupine 

 group being yellowish-white, those of the Yellow-haired 

 Porcupine group being a greenish-yellow. 



Rel.^ted Species 



Canada Porcupine. — Eretliicon dorsatum dorsa- 

 tiiiii (Linnaeus). Typical animal as described above. 

 From 40° north latitude in eastern North America to 

 Hudson Bay northwest to Arctic circle and Alaska. 



Yellow-haired Porcupine, or Western Porcupine. — 

 Erethizon cj'ixanthuiii cpixanthuin Brandt. Similar 

 to Canada Porcupine, but long hairs with greenisli- 

 yellow tips, and quills yellowish with black tips. From 

 upper Missouri south to New Mexico, west to the 

 Pacific, northward from California to Alaska, probably 

 the limit of trees. 



Anyone who has traveled in the woods of 

 the northern United States is familiar with the 

 Porcupine, or Quill Pig. In appearance he is not 

 attractive. His shape is not unlike that of a 

 Beaver covered with long stiff quills. His tail, 

 too, is broad and flat, but not so wide as that of 



15 [^ 



a Beaver. This also is quill covered. The dull 

 expression of his eyes is indicative of a thor- 

 oughly stupid animal. 



As in the case of so many animals, the Porcu- 

 pine is more common in some localities now than 

 it was some years ago. In the Adirondacks when 



