NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



However, dogs soon learn to be careful, and confine 

 themselves to keeping the quarry at bay till the 

 arrival of their master. 



The Porcupine is often hunted by men armed w^ith 

 sticks or spears — on bright moonlight nights — with 

 the assistance of dogs. This is a very exciting 

 pastime, for the hunter must be keenly on the alert 

 to spring aside should a Porcupine make a sudden 

 dash backwards. Often the animal makes a straight 

 forward charge, and should the hunters legs be apart, 

 it darts between them, and as it passes, the quills 

 are driven an inch or more into the calves. These 

 quills are loosely attached to the skin of the animal, 

 and very easily come out. Those which are lost 

 are soon replaced by others which grow from the 

 same sockets. 



On one occasion I was present when a farmer re- 

 ceived seven quills in the calf of the leg. The Porcu- 

 pine made an unexpected dash at him. He thrust 

 at it with his spear but missed, and next instant it 

 swept past his leg, leaving the quills imbedded deep 

 in the flesh. It required considerable force by 

 pulling with both hands to withdraw them. 



Previous to the advent of man into South Africa, 

 the Leopard was one of the chief enemies of the 

 Porcupine. By its great agility it avoided the 

 sudden rushes of the animal, seeking an opportunity 

 to deliver a blow on the nose or head with its heavy 

 paw, which either stunned or killed it, for the bones 

 of the skull of a Porcupine are thin and easily frac- 



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