i68 



RODENTS. 



Habits. 



As the habits of all the true porcupines appear to be very similar, 

 they may be treated collectively. In the first place, it should be 

 mentioned that the old idea of porcupines being able to eject their quills at an enemy 

 is a pure fable. Although a belated individual may occasionally be seen making its 

 way homeward in the early morning, porcupines remain concealed during the day- 

 light hours, either in caves or clefts of rocks, or in burrows excavated by themselves. 

 They generally prefer rocky hills, and although in Europe they are usually found 

 either solitary or in pairs, in India they are frequently gregarious. Their food is 

 entirely vegetable, and consists mainly of roots, although in cultivated districts 

 they do much damage to crops, garden vegetables, and such fruit as they can reach. 

 In Europe the pairing-season takes place early in the year ; and in the spring or 

 commencement of the summer the female produces from two to four young, in a nest 



AFRICAN BRUSH-TAILED PORCUPINE (\ nat. size). 



formed of leaves, grass, and root-fibres. The young are born in an advanced state, 

 having their eyes open, and their bodies covered with soft flexible spines, which 

 soon harden by exposure to the air. When frightened or irritated, porcupines 

 erect their quills, with a peculiar rattling of the hollow ones at the tip of the tail, 

 at the same time stamping with their hind-feet. If attacked by dogs or other four- 

 footed foes, they rush backwards and inflict severe wounds with the long quills on 

 their hind-quarters, which are sometimes driven deeply into the flesh of their 

 antagonists. Dogs, according to Dr. Jerdon, readily follow the scent of porcupines, 

 and thus track them to their lairs. Leopards are said to despatch them easily by a 

 single well-directed blow on the head. From the large size of their teeth and jaws, 

 porcupines have great gnawing powers ; and the writer has seen in India tusks of 

 elephants which have been half-eaten by these animals as they lay in the jungles. 

 The flesh of porcupines is excellent eating, and is said to resemble something 

 between pork and veal in flavour. 



