PREHENSILE TAILED PORCUPINE. 123 



rich, and permanent colours, both skins and the 

 bark of trees are embroidered in the most elegant 

 manner. In making this embroidery Indian women 

 have not the advantage of a needle : they bore a hole 

 in the skin or bark with an awl, and pass through 

 it the sinews of a deer, or of some other animal, and 

 at every stitch they wrap the thread round a porcu- 

 pine's quill; when the quill is nearly covered, its end 

 is turned into the skin, or concealed in such a manner 

 as to present abeautiful and perfect piece of workman- 

 ship. In some specimens of the art, the ornaments 

 are wrought exclusively with undyed porcupine quills, 

 but, in general, a strong contrast of bright colours is 

 preferred. Animal figures are also occasionally 

 exhibited, and these are formed by embroidering with 

 quills. The Philadelphian Museum, rich in objects 

 of natural curiosity, also possesses a splendid and 

 valuable collection of articles of dress, and imple- 

 ments of peace and war, peculiar to the aborigines 

 of America, showing the extent to which por- 

 cupine quills are used by that interesting people, 

 as well as affording some idea of the number of 

 those animals that once abounded in the Trans- 

 Mississippian regions. 



With regard to the Prehensile Tailed Porcupine 

 (Hyst. prehensilis^) we may observe, that the habits 

 of an animal are generally made known by its make 

 and organs. The prehensile tail which nature has 

 assigned to this species, clearly indicates that he lives 

 on trees. We find accordingly that the couendou, 

 to use the Indian name, is in fact a tenant of the 

 forest, that he climbs with facility by means of his 

 claws, and avails himself of the holding powers of 



