THE PORCUPINE 227 



grasses and their seeds which, once having effected 

 a lodgment in the skin or the clothing, work their 

 way farther and farther in, aided thereto by 

 countless invisible but capable barbs. When, 

 therefore, the beast of prey who casts a longing 

 eye upon the easily captxired porcupine retires 

 from his difficult and imsatisfactory feast, he 

 does so with his paws and lips full of quills 

 which defy aU attempts at removal. After a time, 

 of course, inflammation is succeeded by sup- 

 puration, and not infrequently death from star- 

 vation ensues as the natural result of the wretched 

 beast's inability from these causes to get about 

 and obtain a livelihood. I remember some years 

 ago at Quehmane a hon, in a state of the most 

 pitiable emaciation, was washed down the Qua- 

 Qua River, its fore-paws and hps containing a 

 number of porcupine's quills which had effected 

 an immovable lodgment in the flesh. It was 

 evident that in a condition of great feebleness the 

 luckless beast had attempted, as lions often do, to 

 swim the river, and had been carried down on the 

 ebb and drowned. 



Young porcupines are pretty little creatiires, 

 and are covered with coarse bristly hair which 

 gradually stiffens into quills. They grow very 

 tame, and will eat bread and milk. During the 

 dayhght hours they are lethargic, and disinclined 

 to make themselves agreeable, but submit to 

 being handled without any display of irritation 

 or annoyance. Lastly, but by no means least, 

 the flesh of the porcupine is exceedingly dainty. 



Probably the most rarely encountered of all 



