Chap. 54.] BEARS AND THEIR CUBS. 305 



coat, and not its colour, for it is covered with hair in the winter, 

 and goes bare in summer. The tarandrus is of the size of 

 the ox ; its head is larger than that of the stag, and not very 

 unlike it ; its horns are branched, its hoofs cloven, and its 

 hair as long as that of the bear. Its proper colour, when it 

 thinks proper to return to it, is like that of the ass. Its hide 

 is of such extreme hardness, that it is used for making breast- 

 plates. When it is frightened, this animal reflects the colour 

 of all the trees, shrubs, and flowers, or of the spots in which it 

 is concealed ; hence it is that it is so rarely captured. It is 

 wonderful that such various hues should be given to the body, 

 but still more so that it should be given to the hair. 



CHAP. 53. (35.) THE PORCUPINE. 



India and Africa produce the porcupine, the body of which 

 is covered with prickles. It is a species of hedgehog, but the 

 quills of the porcupine are longer, and when it stretches the 

 skin, it discharges them like so many missiles. "With these it 

 pierces the mouths of the dogs which are pressing hard upon 

 it, and even sends its darts to some distance further. 68 It 

 conceals itself during the winter months, which, indeed, is the 

 nature of many animals, and more especially the bear. 



CHAP. 54. (36.) BEARS AND THEIR CUBS. 



Bears couple in the beginning of winter, 69 and not after the 

 fashion of other quadrupeds ; for both animals lie down and em- 

 brace each other. 70 The female then retires by herself to a sepa- 

 rate den, and there brings forth on the thirtieth day, mostly 

 five young ones. When first born, they are shapeless masses of 

 white flesh, a little larger than mice ; 71 their claws alone being 



68 It is possible that the quills of the porcupine may be stuck into the 

 skin of the dog so firmly, as to be detached from their natural situation ; 

 but there is no reason to believe that they can be darted out or projected 

 by any exertion of the animal. ^Elian, Anim. Nat. B. i. c. 31, and B. xii. 

 c. 26, describes the hystrix ; see also Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B. vi, c. 

 30. B. 



69 Cuvier remarks, that this accouut of the bear is generally correct ; he 

 points out, however, certain errors^ which will be duly noticed. JElian, 

 Anim. Nat. B. vi. c. 3, gives an account of the parturition of the bear. B. 



70 This description of their mode of coupling, though from Aristotle, 

 Hist. Anim. B. vi. c. 30, is not correct. Buffon and other naturalists 

 assure us that they do not differ herein from other quadrupeds. B. 



71 Aristotle says, that the cubs are born blind, without hair, and that 

 VOL. II. X 



