THE CANADIAN PORCUPINE 207 



outline of the body, while the tail is long and very Rat-like, but ter- 

 minated by a tuft of flattened and twisted bristles. There are two 

 species, one African (Atherura africand) and one East Indian 

 macrura), the latter being the larger of the two. 



THE CANADIAN PORCUPINE 



(Erethizon dorsatus) 



IT is a curious fact that, while the Old World Porcupines are all 

 burrowing ground-animals, those of the New World should all be 

 climbers, though the present species is less of a tree-animal than the 

 others. It is also the only northern one, ranging from Alaska and 

 Canada to Virginia and Mexico, though it seems best known in the 

 northern parts of its range. Although much the largest of the 

 American Porcupines, it is considerably smaller than the big Porcu- 

 pines of the Old World, being about two feet long. It is heavily 

 built, with long powerful claws, and a tail which, though short, has 

 some power of grip, and so aids in climbing. The spines are short, 

 and much hidden in the long sooty-brown hair with which they are 

 plentifully intermixed ; they are as sharp and serviceable for weapons 

 on the tail as elsewhere, and, in fact, the sudden sharp blows of that 

 member which the animal gives are a very efficient mode of defence, 

 in addition to the protective value of the spines generally. As they 

 come out freely, the spines are liable to be unwillingly taken away 

 from the conflict by the adversary, with the same result as noted in 

 the case of the Old World Porcupine. The animal which seems to 

 be most successful in its attacks is the Pekan or Fisher Marten 

 (Mustela pennanti), which craftily burrows under the snow and attacks 

 the creature's under-parts, these not being defended by spines in 

 any Porcupines. But, as a rule, this Porcupine seems to be fairly 

 safe ; it is certainly a very slow mover on the ground, and not an 

 active animal in the trees, whence it gets its chief food, devouring 

 both the bark and the leaves. Indeed, when a Porcupine has finished 



