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person who has denied these circumstances, although they 

 evidently appear at first view to be absurd. 



THE URSON, OR CANADA PORCUPINE. 



This animal, placed by nature in the desert part of North 

 America, to the east of Hudson's Bay, exists independent of, 

 and far distant from, man. The Urson might be called the 

 spiny beaver, it being of the same size, the same country, 

 and the same form of body ; it has, like that, two long, strong, 

 and sharp incisive teeth at the end of each jaw ; its prickles 

 are short, and almost covered with hair ; for the Urson, like 

 the beaver, has a double coat ; the first consists of long and 

 soft hair, and the second, of a down, or felt, which is still 

 softer or smoother. In the young Ursons, the prickles are 

 proportionably larger, more apparent, and the hair shorter 

 and scarcer than in the adults. 



This animal dislikes water, and is fearful of wetting him- 

 self. He makes his habitation under the roots of great hol- 

 low trees, sleeps very much, and chiefly feeds upon the bark 

 of juniper. In winter, the snow serves him for drink; in 

 summer, he laps water like a dog. The savages eat his flesh, 

 and strip the bristles off* the hide, which they make use of 

 instead of pins and needles. Many of the trading Americans 

 also depend upon them for food at certain seasons of the year. 



