NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



forests and bush-veld the Porcupine does great 

 service in digging up the young trees to feed on their 

 roots. On Mr. Louis Walton's farm at Mimosa, the 

 Porcupines thus prevent the thorny mimosa from 

 overspreading the land, and converting it into an 

 impenetrable bush. Undoubtedly in these mimosa- 

 infested lands the Porcupine is of great economic 

 value. In consequence of its valuable services on 

 Mr. L. Walton's extensive farm, it is held sacred by 

 him, although it takes a toll of his mealies when they 

 are ripening. I have visited the farm and witnessed 

 the good work which the Porcupine accomplishes. 



It will therefore be seen that although a pest to 

 the agriculturalist, it frequently proves a valuable 

 ally to the stock farmer. 



The incisor teeth, of which there are two in each 

 jaw, are large and powerful, and the animal, in 

 consequence, possesses considerable gnawing powers. 



The young are born in a nest at the end of a bur- 

 row, or in the innermost recesses of a lair in a rock 

 cavity. The nest is composed of dry grass, leaves, 

 moss and roots torn to shreds. Three or four young 

 are the usual number at a birth. When born the 

 eyes are already open, and the body covered with soft 

 spines. These spines, on exposure to the air, soon 

 harden. When large enough to venture forth, the 

 young accompany the mother on her quests for food. 

 When alarmed the mother often takes one of her 

 youngsters on her back and makes off with it. Mr. 

 Loton Tipper made a lunge with a spear at a Porcu- 



184 



