THE PORCUPINE 



IT may appear out of place to discuss this 

 creature which has no sportive quality what- 

 ever, but its trail is so conspicuous in snow 

 that it cannot be passed without being noticed, 

 and the tyro, attracted by the size of the tracks, 

 will in many instances follow it, thinking he is on 

 the trail of something else. 



A short time ago I trailed a supposedly lost, 

 inexperienced hunting companion who had run 

 across the trail of a " bear," as he thought, and 

 followed and killed " Bruin," who happened to 

 be up a tree. When I caught up with the young 

 fellow, he was contemplating his broken gun- 

 stock, smashed in finishing the " varmint," but 

 proudly exhibited, to my great hilarity, the 

 " bear " which may have weighed about twenty 

 pounds, and whose fur consisted mainly of quills. 



Before I got acquainted with the " pine- 

 porker," I tried in vain for a period of four 



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