376 



ANIMALS OF, &c. 



This animal seems to partake very much of 

 the nature of the hedgehog ; having this for- 

 midable apparatus of arms rather to defend 

 itself, than annoy the enemy. There have 

 been, indeed, many naturalists who supposed 

 that it was capable of discharging them at its 

 foes, and killing at a great distance off. But 

 this opinion has been entirely discredited of 

 late; and it is now universally believed that its 

 quills remain firmly fixed in the skin, and are 

 then only shed when the animal moults them, 

 as birds do their faathers. It is true, we are 

 told by Ellis, that a wolf at Hudson's Bay was 

 found dead, with the quills of a porcupine 

 fixed within its mouth ; which might have 

 very Well happened, from the voraciousness of 

 the former, and not the resentment of the lat- 

 ter. That rapacious creature, in the rage of 

 appetite, might have attempted to devour the 

 porcupine, quills and all, and very probably 

 paid the forfeit by its life. However this be, 

 of all the porcupines that have been brought 

 into Europe, not one was ever seen to launch 

 their quills ; and yet the irritations they receiv- 

 ed were sufficient to have provoked their ut- 

 most indignation. Of all the porcupines that 

 Dr. Shaw observed in Africa, and h'e saw num- 

 bers, not one ever attempted to dart its quills ; 

 their usual manner of defence bein, to lie on 



one side, and when the enemy approaches 

 very near, by suddenly rising, to wound him 

 with the points on the other. 



It is probable, therefore, that the porcupine 

 is seldom the aggressor ; and when attacked 

 by the bolder animals, it only directs its quills 

 so as to keep always pointing towards the 

 enemy. These are an ample protection ; and, 

 as we are assured by Kolben, at such times, 

 even the lion himself will not venture to make 

 an attack. From such, therefore, the porcu- 

 pine can defend itself; and chiefly hunts for 

 serpents, and all other reptiles, for subsistence. 

 Travellers universally assure us, that between 

 the serpent and the porcupine there exists an 

 irreconcilable enmity, and that they never meet 

 without a mortal engagement/ The porcu- 

 pine, on these occasions, is said to roll itself 

 upon the serpent, and thus destroy and devour 

 it. This may be true ; while, what we are 

 informed by Monsieur Sarrasin, of the porcu- 

 pine of Canada chiefly subsisting on vegeta- 



Bosnian. Smith. L. P. Vincent Marie, &c. 



bles, may be equally so. Those which are 

 brought to this country to be shown, are usually 

 fed on bread, milk, and fruits ; but they will 

 not refuse meat when it is offered them ; and 

 it is probable, they prefer it in a wild state, 

 when it is to be had. b The porcupine is also 

 known to be extremely hurtful to gardens ; 

 and, where it enters, does incredible damage. 



The Americans, who hunt this animal, as- 

 sure us, that the porcupine lives from twelve 

 to fifteen years. During the time of coupling, 

 which is in the month of September, the males 

 become very fierce and vlangerous, and often 

 are seen to destroy each other with their teeth. 

 The female goes with young seven months, 

 and brings forth but one at a time ; this she 

 suckles but about a month, and accustoms it 

 betimes to live, like herself, upon vegetablesand 

 the bark of trees ; she is very fierce in its de- 

 fence ; but, at other seasons, she is fearful, 

 timid, and harmless. The porcupine never 

 attempts to bite, nor any way to injure its pur- 

 suers ; if hunted by a dog or a wolf, it instantly 

 climbs up a tree, and continues there until it 

 has wearied out the patience of its adversary ; 

 the wolf knows by experience, how fruitless it 

 would be to wait ; he therefore leaves the por- 

 cupine above, and seeks out for a new adven- 

 ture. 



The porcupine does not escape so well from 

 the Indian hunter, who eagerly pursues it, in 

 order to make embroidery of its quills, and to 

 eat its flesh. This, as we are commonly told, 

 is very tolerable eating : however, we may 

 expect wretched provisions when the savages 

 are to be our caterers, for they eat every thing 

 that has life. But they arc very ingenious with 

 regard to their embroidery: if I understand 

 the accounts rightly, they die the quills of va- 

 rious colours, and then splitting them into slips, 

 as we see in the making of a cane-chair, they 

 embroider with these their belts, baskets, and 

 several other necessary pieces of furniture. 



As to the rest, there are many things related 

 concerning this animal that are fabulous ; but 

 there are still many circumstances more, that 

 yet remain to be known. It were curious to 

 inquire whether this animal moults its quills 

 when wild, for it is never seen to shed them in 

 a domestic state ; whether it sleeps all the win- 

 ter, as we are told by some naturalists, which 



i> Buftbn. 



