14 CANADA PORCUPINE. 



they are strong and sharp-pointed, and so formed 

 as to appear, when examined with a magnifier, as 

 if barbed at the tips with numerous, small, re- 

 versed points or prickles, and are so slightly at- 

 tached to the skin as to be loosened with great 

 ease: and the animal will sometimes purposely 

 brush against the legs of those who disturb it, 

 leaving several of the spines sticking in the skin. 



The first figure of the Canada Porcupine seems 

 to have been given by Edwards, from a specimen 

 brought from Hudson's Bay. It is said to feed 

 principally on the bark of the juniper tree. It 

 drinks by lapping, in the manner of a dog. It 

 resides in holes under the roots of trees, on 

 which, like some others of this genus, it often 

 climbs, and is thus killed by the American In- 

 dians, who consider it as a useful article of 

 food : they also use the quills by way of fringes, 

 and for the purpose of ornamenting their boxes, 

 &c. 



Though the natural or genuine colour of this 

 animal is brown, yet it is sometimes found per- 

 fectly white, or cream coloured : two very ele- 

 gant specimens in this state occur in the Leve- 

 rian Museum. 



The Count de Buffon, with peculiar absurdity, 

 affects to entertain a doubt whether the iridescent 

 porcupine (H, macroura. Lin,), described and fir 

 gured by Seba under the title of Histri.v Qrienta- 

 lis singularis, may not in reality be this species, and 

 observes, that this would not be the only instance 

 in which Seba has exhibited American animals as 



