204 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



much heat ; as spring advanced Audubon's porcupine 

 began to lie panting in its cage all day, lost its 

 appetite, finally refused food, and died. 



Many years ago a Canadian porcupine that had 

 been kept in a garret over Peale's Museum in 

 Broadway, New York, gnawed a hole in the corner 

 of the garret. It is supposed to have climbed on to 

 the roof ; at any rate, it somehow managed to tumble 

 into Murray Street. None the worse for a fall 

 which would have killed most creatures outright, 

 this happy-go-lucky beast made for the Park, where 

 it presently attracted a crowd of people, none of 

 whom could catch it. A watchman finally secured 

 the animal in a basket ; and on payment of half a 

 dollar the porcupine was once more installed in his 

 old quarters, sheet tin being nailed from time to time 

 over those parts of the room on which he exercised 

 his chisel-edged teeth. 



One of these animals recently studied by the 

 writer was a rich dark chocolate colour all over. 

 The eyes were small ; the muzzle continually quivered 

 with a flickering movement, as if sniffing ; the long 

 hair on the head radiated out, as if it wanted 

 a good brush. On the floor of its cage this 

 porcupine looked remarkably like a small bear 

 the term "woolly bear" applied to tiger moth 

 caterpillars best expresses its appearance! When 

 perched on a branch the spines cause the animal 

 to resemble a flat spiky doormat ; the broad-soled 



