2l8 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



deer were formerly hunted with hounds the 

 latter would often attack a Porcupine. A mouth- 

 ful of quills and a dog rendered useless for a 

 long time was the result. The hunters swore 

 vengeance on the cause of their troubles, and 

 shot every Quill Pig they saw. In Canada the 



PORCtJPINE CLIMBING 

 The Porcupine never hurries, whether on the ground or up a tree 



Indians also decreased their numbers by killing 

 them for food. Now all is changed. A law 

 protects them in Canada, and hounding deer is 

 not allowed in most parts of the United States. 

 The hunters also fear to frighten the deer by 

 shooting at other animals, and thus the Porcu- 

 pine escapes. 



Although found in deciduous and in mixed 

 forests, the Porcupine prefers the evergreen 

 woods. The hemlock is his favorite food tree, 

 and, in winter, he subsists almost entirely upon 

 the bark of this and other trees. In summer, 

 however, he will eat almost anv vegetable matter. 



and will go to considerable trouble to get lily- 

 pads. 



In one respect, however, the Porcupine is not a 

 strict vegetarian. He will brave all dangers to 

 get salt, or anything that has the suggestion of 

 a salty flavor. Repeatedly during the night he 

 will return to a camp from which he has been 

 driven, in order to gnaw flooring, door jams, ax- 

 handles, or any article which has been handled. 

 Some years ago the writer, with a party of 

 four or five persons, was traveling in the Adi- 

 rondacks when he chanced upon a deserted camp 

 composed of several tents made of canvas 

 stretched over wooden frames. On entering one 

 of these, three Porcupines attempted to pass out. 

 They were driven back with sticks, but repeat- 

 edly tried to get past the door-keepers. Finally 

 one of them climbed a diagonal support, over 

 which the canvas was stretched, in order to reach 

 the ridge-pole. The canvas, however, hindered 

 him, and he soon fell, landing in a nail-keg. 

 This incident suggested a method of capturing 

 them all alive without injury from the quills. 

 Several large grain sacks, filled with hay, were 

 Iving about. They had served as pillows. One 

 of these was emptied and a member of the party 

 held it open under the diagonal support. Then 

 some of us drove a Porcupine up tlie support 

 until the canvas prevented further "progress, 

 when the animal fell into the open mouth of 

 the grain sack. This was repeated until all 

 three were captured. 



This incident illustrates two traits of the 

 Porcupine. First, it will go directly toward an 

 enemy, if it must, in order to reach a familiar 

 place of refuge. Second, the fact that flooring, 

 tent supports, broom-handles, and other things, 

 with which human flesh had come in contact, 

 were much gnawed showed its taste for salt. 



Except during the coldest weather, the Porcu- 

 pine does not hibernate. He may stay in his 

 " den " until the worst is over, but a slight 

 increase in temperature will bring him out, and 

 his wanderings may be traced by his tracks in 

 the snow and by chijjs and pieces of bark under 

 the trees where he has fed. Nor does he con- 

 fine himself to the night hours for roaming, but 

 may be seen at all hours of the day. Once he 

 has gotten into a favorite tree, he is not likely 

 to leave it until he has exhausted its food possi- 

 bilities. 



Although a Porcupine will retreat when it can, 

 it will often sit still, if its place of refuge is too 

 far away. When attacked it does not roll itself 

 into a ball, as has often been stated. It does, 

 however, arch the back, erect the quills, put the 



