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The porcupine is tlie most hideous of animals, — he raises his quills 

 like the spines of the hedge-hog ; when attacked he shoots them 

 forth like arrows from the bow of a skilful ai-cher,— dischai'gijig 

 them as he flies from the conflict, and raoj-tally wounding the .pur- 

 suing dogs. Hence the hunters are obliged to take him by craft. . 



The Ichneumon is a small creature, but worthy of the muse's 

 song, both for his ingenuity and courage, which he employs suc- 

 cessfully against the serpent and crocodile. Wlien he observes the 

 latter sleeping, he darts down the open jaws, and feasts luxuriously 

 on the liver and viscera, till nothing but a shell is left, when he 

 leaves his confinement in search of new prey. The torments of the 

 crocodile vainly struggling to escape, or eject the internal foe that 

 devours him, are ably depicted. — When the ichneumon sees a ser- 

 pent he conceals himself in the sands, coiled up, with nothing visi- 

 ble but the point of his tail, and fiery eyes ; suddenly he darts on 

 the enemy, as he approaches breathing pestiferous blasts, and dis- 

 playing his venomous fangs in vain. The ichneumon grasps him 

 by the jaws, and lays him dead. 



Of wild animals the Fox is the most crafty. He dwells in a den 

 whicli has seven passages remote from each other, to fa\our his 

 escape from tiie hunter's snares. He is often a formidable enemy 

 to beasts of prey, and the sportsman's dogs. When winter ajj- 

 proaches, and the vine hangs destitute of clusters, he plans his 

 frauds with success against birds and young hares. 



The poet next invokes the muse to sing of animals of a mixed 

 nature, particularly of that one which partakes of the camel and 

 panther, viz. the camelopard, which is described with fidelity ,• and 

 the ostrich, the oftspring of the sparrow and camel. The bird-lime 

 twig that waves in the aerial path of birds takes her not — but 

 horses, dogs, and !iidden snares. Her size is enormous, and she can 



VOL. XIll. K 



