THE CRESTED PORCUPINE. 



Generic Characters. 

 Two cutting teeth in each jaw. 

 The body covered with long, hard, and iharp quills. 

 The upper lip divided. 



Synonims. 

 Tr^J, Arijl. Hifl. An. lib. i. c. 0. 



Hystrix, Plin. lib. viii. c. 35. Gefner Quad. 503. Rati Syn. Quad. 20(3. 

 Hystrix Crist at a,. Linn. Sy/i. 76. 

 Acanthion Cristatus, Klein Quad, 06.. 

 Le Porc-epic, de Bujfon, xii. 402. 



THE general appearance of this animal, when compared with its habits, 

 mould teach us not to draw too hafty conclusions from external appearances. 

 Formidable as he feems to be, from the weapons with which Nature has 

 armed him, he is notwithstanding perfectly harmlefs and inoffenfive. It 

 mull be allowed, indeed, that he appears highly irafcible, which has induced 

 the poet to call him the Fretful Porcupine ; but that apparent irafcibility 

 probably arifes partly from fear, and partly from the great redundancy of bile 

 in his conftitution. His lharp quills, with which he fo often threatens his 

 adverfary, are never ufed but for his own prefervation. Inoffenuve in his 

 nature, he is never the aggreflbr, but when roufed to a neceffity of felf- defence, 

 even the Lion (a) dares not attack him. 



The Porcupine is in general about two feet long, from the nofe to the tail, 

 which is four inches in length. The legs are fhort in proportion to the body ; 



(a) Kolben. 



