CANADA PORCUPINE. 285 



the ground after him until he arrived at the spot where the hunter was 

 impatiently waiting for him. Here he skinned the Porcupine, and turn- 

 ed the skin entirely inside out, so that the quills were all within, and 

 then no longer fearing to handle the skin, it was secured to the saddle of 

 his horse, and the carcass thrown away. 



A Porcupine that was confined for some time in the garret of a build- 

 ing in Broadway, New York, in which Peale's Museum was formerly 

 kept, made its escape by gnawing a hole in a corner of the garret, and, 

 (as was supposed,) got on to the roof, from whence it tumbled into the 

 street, either by a direct fall from this elevation, or by pitching on to some 

 roof in the rear of the main building, and thence into Murray-street. It 

 was brought the next day to the museum for sale, as a great curiosity. 

 The man who brought it, of course not knowing from whence it came, 

 said that early in the morning, he (being a watchman) was attracted by 

 a crow^d in the Park, and on approaching discovered a strange animal 

 which no one could catch ; he got a basket, however, and captured the 

 beast, which he very naturally carried off to the watch-house, thinking of 

 course no place of greater security for any vagrant existed in the neigh- 

 bourhood. 



On an explanation before the keeper of the museum, instead of the 

 police justices, and on payment of half a dollar, the Porcupine was again 

 restored to his friends. He was now, however, watched more closely, 

 and bits of sheet tin were frequently nailed in different parts of the room 

 on which he had a predilection for trying his large teeth. 



We have mentioned in our article on the Canada lynx, that one of 

 those animals was taken in the woods in a dying state, owing to its 

 mouth being filled with Porcupine quills. We have heard of many dogs, 

 some wolves, and at least one panther, that were found dead, in conse- 

 quence of inflammation produced by seizing on the Porcupine. 



Its nest is found in hollow trees or in caves under rocks. It pro- 

 duces its young in April or May, generally two at a litter ; we have 

 however heard that three, and on one occasion four, had been found in 

 a nest. 



The Indians residing in the North, make considerable use of the quills 

 of the porcupine ; mocassins, shot-pouches, baskets made of birch bark, 

 &c., are ingeniously ornamented with them, for which purpose they are 

 dyed of various bright colours. 



The flesh of this species is sometimes eaten, and is said to have the 

 taste of flabby pork. 



The following informatioTi respecting the Porcupine was received by 

 us from our kind friend William Case, Esq., of Cleveland, Ohio. " This 



