PORCUPINES. 



229 



The porcupine is quite common in the south of Europe. 

 Like the hedgehog, it has a natural defensive armor, 



FIG. 158. 



FIG. 159. 



COMMON PORCUPINE (Hystrix criatata). 



formed of sharp, stiff spines, which bristle out from the 



body, and which may grow to a length of a foot and a 



half. These spines 



are alternately 



banded white and 



black. Porcupines 



are nocturnal in 



their habits ; they 



live in burrows and 



hibernate in winter. 



A species of porcu- 



AGOUTI (Dasyprocta agouti). 



pine, the urson, is 

 found in the Nor- 

 thern United States and Canada, where it is generally 

 but erroneously called hedgehog. 



The agouti is a small South American rodent, having 

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