PORCUPINE* 
it appeared to me the most irascible creature 
on earth." 
We are told, by Ellis, that a Wolf, at Hud. 
son's Bay, was found dead, with the quills of 2 
Porcupine fixed in it's mouth: but this, it i; 
probable, rather arose from the voraciousness 
of the former, than the resentment of their 
latter: the Wolf, in the rage of it's ravenoul 
appetite, probably endeavoured to devour th(| 
Porcupine in spite of the quills, which it migh| 
consider as merely small bones, and thus sacrij 
fice life to it's greedy gluttony. 
It is said, by Goldsmith, that " the Porcul' 
pine never attempts to bite,' or any way to in J 
jure it's pursuers: if hunted by a Dog, o 
Wolf, it instantly climbs up a tree, and con 
tinues there till it has wearied out the patienc 
of it's adversary. The W olf knows, by ex I 
perience, how fruitless it would be to wait ; hej 
therefore, leaves the Porcupine above, an| 
looks out for a new adventure. The Porcujf 
pine, does not escape so well from the India.]! 
hunter; who eagerly pursues it, in order t! 
make embroidery of it's quills, and to eat itll 
flesh." 
