72 QUADRUPEDS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Observations. The Porcupine is a sluggish animal, passing 

 much of its time in sleep. It is clumsy in its form, though it 

 climbs and moves about on trees with much more agility than one 

 would expect when seeing it upon the ground. It is herbivorous, 

 living on fruits, grain, and bark of the roots and branches of trees. 

 It dwells in dens, or under rocks, and in the hollows of trees. 

 When assailed, it immediately throws its head between the fore 

 legs, and erects the spines on its back, and at the same time 

 elevates its posterior parts and tail ; if it is now touched, it gives 

 a smart lateral blow with its tail ; if this happens to come in con- 

 tact with any object, it is left with numerous detached quills ad- 

 hering to it, which, if not removed, will gradually work into the 

 flesh. It therefore becomes a formidable weapon of defence, and 

 serves to keep dogs, foxes, and wolves at bay. If it is irritated 

 with a stick, it utters a plaintive cry, and immediately throws 

 itself into a posture of defence, with a quick motion, and holds 

 itself in readiness to inflict a blow on the disturbing object. The 

 flesh is red, exhales an unpleasant, sweetish odor, and is rarely 

 relished by individuals, except those in a savage state. It travels 

 two or three miles from home, but returns ordinarily to its den. 

 Those about Williamstown seem to reside under rocks, or to live 

 in families, or at least they are known to maintain a residence at 

 one place for a long time, which becomes the abode of one or 

 more individuals successively for years. They are supposed to 

 bring forth two at a time. Like other wild animals, they travel 

 in what are termed by hunters run-ivays, and form thereby well 

 beaten paths. This animal is more nearly allied to the Beaver 

 than to the Squirrels. The general form of the skull, the arrange- 

 ment of the teeth, and the food on which it lives, &c, make a 

 very close approximation to it, though the spines and coarseness 

 of the hair and fur present features very unlike it. Its range 

 north extends beyond Churchill's River. It is also found far west 

 and south ; hence it is widely distributed. Though it is common 

 on the mountains in the vicinity of Williamstown, I have never 

 seen it in Middlefield or Chester, or even heard of it in any of the 

 neighbouring towns. An albino is sometimes met with in the 

 north part of the State of New York. 



In the young, long, white, coarse hairs appear to take the place 

 of quills along the back and sides. 



