HEDGEHOG KIND. 213 



voked their utmost indignation. Of all the por- 

 cupines that Dr Shaw observed in Africa, and he 

 saw numbers, not one ever attempted to dart its 

 quills ; their usual manner of defence being 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 porcupine 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 irreconcileable enmity, and that 

 they never meet without a mortal engagement.* 

 The porcupine, on these occasions, is said to roll 

 itself upon the serpent, and thus destroy and de- 

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

 informed by Monsieur Sarrasin, of the porcupine 

 of Canada chiefly subsisting on vegetables, 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.t 

 The porcupine is also known to be extremely 



* Bosnian ; Smith ; L. P. ; Vincent Marie, &c. f Buffon. 



