ANIMALS. 357 



fer it in a wild state, when it is to be had.' The porcupine is 

 also known to be extremely hurtful to gardens ; and, wheie it 

 enters, does incredible damage. 



The Americans, who hunt this animal, assure us, that the 

 porcupine lives from twelve to fifteen years. During the time 

 of coupling, which is in the month of September, the males be- 

 come very fierce and dangerous, and often are seen to destroy 

 each other with their teeth. The female goes with young seven 

 months, and brings forth but one at a time ; this she suckles 

 but about a month, and accustoms it betimes to live, like herself, 

 upon vegetables and the bark of trees : she is very fierce in its 

 defence ; but, at other seasons, she is fearful, timid, and harm- 

 less. The porcupine never attempts to bite, nor any way to in- 

 jure its pursuers : if hunted by a dog or a wolf, it instantly 

 climbs up a tree, and continues there until it has wearied out the 

 patience of its adversary ; the wolf knows, by experience, how 

 fruitless it would be to wait ; he tlierefore leaves the porcupine 

 above, and seeks out for a new adventure. The porcupine 

 does not escape so well from the Indian hunter, who eagerly 

 pursues it, in order to make embroidery of its quills, and to eat 

 its flesh. This, as we are commonly told, is very tolerable 

 eating ; however, we may expect wretched provisions when the 

 savages are to be our caterers, for they eat every thing that has 

 life. But they are very ingenious with regard to their embroid- 

 ery : if I understand the accounts rightly, they dye the quills of 

 various colours, and then splitting them into slips, as we see in 

 the making of a cane chair, they embroider with these their belts. 

 baskets, and several other necessary pieces of furniture. 



As to the rest, there are many things related concerning this 

 animal that are fabulous ; but there are still many circumstances 

 moi'e, that yet remain to be known. It were curious to inquire 

 whether this animal moults its quills when wild, for it is never 

 seen to shed them in a domestic state ; v.'hether it sleeps all the 

 winter, as we are told by some naturalists, which we are sure it 

 does not when brought into our country ; and, lastly, whether 

 its quills can be sent off with a shake ; for no less a naturalist 

 than Reaumer was of that opinion.' 



1 Buffon. 

 2 Bemck, in his General History of Quadrupeds, says, that upon tUa 

 giiiHllcst iiTitatiou it raises its quills, and shakes them with great vi()lenc»*, 



