[bkll] the CANADA PORCUPINE 31 



of various species of willow. Along the Gaspé rivers, the writer has 

 frequently seen porcupines crawling about among the green plants at 

 high water mark, but he has not noticed them eating the leaves. 



As a means of defence, the Canada porcupine depends entirely on 

 the protection of its quills. These cover the whole of the back and 

 upper side of the tail. They are about three or four inches long and as 

 thick as a stout knitting needle. The tips are very sharp, covered with 

 small barbs, and black in colour, while the rest of the quill is white. 

 The hair is almost or quite black, coarse and stiff. On the back, it is 

 rather longer than the quills, but not elsewhere. The abdomen is only 

 thinly covered with hair. 



When about to be attacked by a man or a dog, the porcupine stops 

 immediately, lies flat on his belly, gathers in his nose and feet and erects 

 all his quills, or '' fixes a thousand bayonets." which he does by means of 

 a wide sheet of muscle immediately under the skin. In this position 

 and quite motionless he awaits the attack. An inexperienced dog will 

 pounce upon him with open mouth, but usually retires immediately 

 after the fi,rst bite, unable to close his mouth, which is bristling with the 

 quills the porcupine has willingly parted with. But should the dog 

 hesitate and again come up to the enemy, the porcupine will slap his 

 tail violently from side to side and fill the dog's head and legs with his 

 quills. In this kind of encounter, some of the quills are scattered upon 

 the ground and this fact may have given rise to the vulgar notion that 

 the Canada porcupine is able to throw his quills to a distance, like one 

 of the African species. 



It is doubtful if our porcupine is ever attacked by wolves, fishers, 

 or pumas. It seems more probable that, like other wild animals, they 

 have long ago learned to leave alone those enemies which experience 

 has taught them to avoid as dangerous, unprofitable or very disagreeable 

 to attack. The porcupine is instantly killed by a tap on the head with 

 a stick or the back of a hatchet. As the quills are so easily detached, it 

 is necessary to wrap the dead body in a sheet of birch bark in order to 

 convey him safely to camp. With all care, quills frequently find their 

 way into the human body. But in penetrating through it by the agency 

 of the barbs, a quill seems to turn aside from all the organs and confine 

 itself to the muscles until the point reaches the surface, often far from 

 the place of entrance and the quill may then be easily pulled out. 



In navigating the rivers of Gaspé at low water, we generally saw- 

 more porcupines on the wide open shores than our party required for 

 food. We therefore selected only the best. In order to do this, as soon 

 as a porcupine settled down to the defensive, one of our Indians would 

 push the blade of a canoe paddle under his body and suddenly throw 



