( 2l6 ANIMALS OF THE 



fretful, for it appeared to me the most irascible 

 creature upon earth. 



The porcupines of America differ very much 

 from that of the ancient continent, which we have 

 been describing ; and, strictly speaking, may be 

 considered as animals of a different species : how- 

 ever, from their being covered with quills, we will 

 only add them as varieties of the former, since we 

 know very little concerning them, except their 

 difference of figure. They are of two kinds ; the 

 one called the Couando, and the other, first nam- 

 ed by M. Buffon, the Urson : the one a native 

 of the northern parts of America, the other of 

 the south ; and both differing from the former in 

 having long tails, whereas that has a very short 

 one. 



x .,,- 



The Couando is much less than the porcupine ; 

 its quills are four times shorter, its snout more 

 unlike that of a hare j its tail is long enough to 

 catch by the branches of trees, and hold by them. 

 It may be easily tamed, and is to be found chiefly 

 in the southern parts of America, yet is not want- 

 ing also in the northern. 



The Urson, which M. Buffon calls after our 

 countryman Hudson, is a native of Hudson's Bay. 

 The make of the body of this animal is not so 

 round as that of the two former, but somewhat 

 resembling the shape of a pig. It is covered with 

 long bristly hair, with a shorter hair underneath, 

 and under this the quills lie concealed very thick ; 

 they are white with a brown point, and bearded, 

 and the longest do not exceed four inches ; they 

 stick to the hand when the animal is stroked on 





