132 Photography for the Sportsman Naturalist 



quills. Moreover, if we try to influence his 

 movements to any extent, by urging him either 

 with our foot or a stick, the endeavor is invariably 

 attended by a loss of many of his quills, and with- 

 out these he presents a sorry appearance and is 

 not worthy of being photographed. These quills 

 form his only means of defence, for, although he 

 will chatter vindictively with his teeth, he will 

 seldom bite. The bridge of his nose is his one 

 vulnerable spot, and when that is struck a sharp 

 blow it will generally kill him. Knowing this, 

 as he must, he will, when approached, invariably 

 turn his head downward, and, with his nose well 

 buried in the fur of his chest and every quill 

 standing erect, he will lash about with his tail, 

 and wherever this formidable weapon strikes it 

 leaves a number of tiny javelins which are as 

 sharp as needles and so barbed that they are not 

 easily extracted. 



In this manner he has been known to kill even 

 such large animals as wildcats by driving his tail 

 quills into their eyes and thus penetrating to 

 their brain. From this fact most wild animals 

 know enough to leave him alone and will always 

 give him the road except when driven to extremi- 

 ties by hunger. He is stubborn, and when in 

 the position of defence no amount of prodding 

 will elicit anything but a continued lashing of the 

 tail. The only thing to do is to wait patiently 



