122 QUILLS OF THE PORCUPINE. 



nearest ash- tree, the leaves of which served them 

 for food. In every instance that came under his 

 observation, there was no single track, but a plain 

 beaten path from the hollow tree in which they 

 lodged to the favourite ash on which they fed. The 

 naturalist having had two fine trees cut down in 

 order to ascertain the actual fact of their domicilia- 

 tion, found a porcupine in each, and in one of them 

 four racoons, but though such near neighbours, they 

 did not interfere, for the racoons occupied the 

 trunk, and the porcupines the branches. Yet, 

 though numerous in many parts, they seem to have 

 little intercourse. They prefer to live alone, and it 

 is rare to see more than one in the same place; 

 neither are they fond of change, nor prone to wander 

 from one extremity of the forest to another. 



Indians who go as couriers from fort to fort often 

 see them in the trees, and should they not wish to 

 capture them at the time, they travel on, and may 

 not return for a week or ten days; yet they are sure 

 to find them on coming back, if not on the same 

 spot, yet within the distance of a mile. 



The flesh of this animal is so much esteemed by 

 the Indians, that they think it the greatest luxury 

 their country affords. The quills, too, are in great 

 request, and the patience and ingenuity displayed by 

 Indian women in ornamenting with them various 

 articles of dress, as well as boxes, and work-bags, 

 cannot be appreciated by those who have never seen 

 any of the articles thus adorned. The quills rarely 

 exceed two inches and a half, or at most three inches 

 in length, and are not larger in circumference than 

 a wheat-straw ; yet with these, when dyed of various 



