178 SPINES OF THE PORCUPINE. 



Southern Europe, and India. The spines or quills with which it is fur- 

 nished vary considerably in length, the longest quills being flexible and 

 not capable of doing much harm to an opponent. Beneath these is a 

 plentiful supply of shorter spines, from live to ten inches in length, 



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The Porcupine {Hystrix O-istdta). 



which are the really effective weapons of this imposing array. Their 

 hold on the skin is very slight, so that when they have been struck into a 

 foe, they remain fixed in the wound, and, unless immediately removed, 

 work sad woe to the sufferer. For the quill is so constructed that it 

 gradually bores its way into the flesh, burrowing deeper at every move- 

 ment, and sometimes even causing the death of the wounded creature. 

 In Africa and India, leopards and tigers have frequently been killed in 

 whose flesh were pieces of Porcupine quills that had penetrated deeply 

 into the body, and had even caused suppuration to take place. In one 

 instance a tiger was found to have his paws, ears, and head filled with 

 the spines of a Porcupine, which he had vainly been endeavoring to kill. 



The Porcupine is a nocturnal animal, seldom venturing out of its re- 

 treat as long as the sun is above the horizon, and is therefore not often 

 seen even in the localities which it most prefers. It is said not to re- 

 quire the presence of water, but to quench its thirst by eating the suc- 

 culent roots and plants which it digs out of the ground. Its food is 

 entirely of a vegetable nature, and consists of various kinds of herbage, 

 as well as of bark, fruit, and roots. This animal takes up its abode in 

 deep burrows which it excavates, and in which it is supposed to under- 

 go a partial hibernation. 



As the spines of the Porcupines are of some commercial value, and 

 are used for many purposes, the chase of the animal is rather popular 

 in the countries which it inhabits, and derives a further interest from 



