52 
[17] The Raccoon } 
The Raccoon liveth in hollow trees, and is about the 
fize of a Gib Cat; they feed upon Mafs, and do infeft 
our Indian Corn very much ; they will be exceeding fat 
in Autumn; their flefh is fomewhat dark, but good food 
roafted. 
For Bruifes and Aches. 
Their Fat is excellent for bruifes and Aches. Their 
Skins are efteemed a good deep Fur; but yet as the 
Wild Cats fomewhat coarfe. 
The Porcupine. 
The Porcupine, in fome parts of the Countrey Eaftward 
towards the French, are as big as an ordinary Mungrel 
Cur; a very angry Creature, and dangerous, mooting a 
whole fhower of Quills with a rowfe at their enemies, 
which are of that nature, that wherever they ftick in the 
flefh, they will work through in a fhort time, if not pre- 
vented by pulling of them out. The Indians make ufe of 
their Quills, which are hardly a handful long, to adorn 
[18] the edges of their birchen dimes, and weave (dying 
1 The raccoon is, or has been, an inhabitant of all North America (Godman, 
Nat. Hist., vol. i. p. 117), and was one of the first of our animals with which Euro- 
pean naturalists became acquainted. Linnreus (Syst. Nat.) cites Conrad Gesner 
among those who have illustrated or mentioned it. Wood says they are " as 
good meat as a lamb ; " and further,' that, " in the moonshine night, they go to 
feed on clams at a low tide, by the seaside, where the English hunt them with 
their dogs." — Nexv-Eng. Prospefl, I. c. 
