242 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
white at tip. The white hairs are most numerous on the 
posterior part of the body. There are also many round, 
spindle shaped, sharp pointed spines or quills, fixed among 
the hair which covers the upper parts. The spines com- 
mence on the crown of the head, and are there short, thick, 
very sharp pointed and very numerous. There are a good 
many longer and more slender ones on the shoulders and 
fore part of the back. There are also many on the sides 
and middle of the back, but these are still more slender and 
flexible, as well as less conspicuous. The buttocks and 
thighs are thickly?" set with long, very strong, and sharp 
spines? Some of these are entirely white, others brown at 
tip. The throat and belly are covered with brown hair, 
not so long as that on the back, lying more smoothly, and 
unmixed with either white hairs or spines. The tail is 
covered with brown hair above and below, and soiled white 
hair on its margin and tip. There are many small spines 
among the hair on its upper surface. 
“The legs are covered with brown hairs, mixed on their 
exterior surfaces with some white ones. The palms are 
nearly oval or rather egg shaped, being semi-circular before, 
and narrower behind. There are four very short toes on 
the fore feet, which are armed with long, compressed, 
curved, blackish claws, grooved underneath their whole 
length. Their points are not acute. The middle or second 
fore toe is rather the longest, the one on each side of it is 
scarcely inferior in length, and the outer one is a little 
smaller and somewhat further back. The hind soles are 
oval, approaching to circular, larger than the palms, desti- 
tute of hair and covered with a rough skin like shagreen. 
There are five toes on the hind foot, which do not differ 
much from each other in length, but their roots, and con- 
sequently their extremities, are arranged in a curved line, 
corresponding with that of the anterior margin of the soles. 
The hind claws resemble the fore ones. The hair which 
covers the upper surface of the feet, curved down by the 
sides of the soles, and being worn even, as if clipped off, it 
forms a thick marginal brush which considerably increases 
the diameter of the soles, and fits them for walking on the 
snow.” 
The Canada Porcupine, however, varies much in colour; 
though the above is the most common, sometimes they have 
been found quite white, and at others of an almost universal 
dark brown. The spines or quills are attached but slightly to 
the skin, and from being barbed at tip with numerous small 
reversed points or prickles, they penetrate by degrees very 
deep into the flesh after having been once lodged. On the 
animal’s being irritated, he has the power of directing their 
points in every direction, and small and insignificant as 
these weapons may appear, they are capable of causing the 
death of dogs, wolves, or indeed of any animal that incau- 
tiously attempts to seize the Porcupine. These quills are 
in great request among the aborigines, who use them in 
great quantities in the manufacture of a number of orna- 
ments, previously dying them, in a very permanent manner, 
of -variety of colours. As the quills are but from two to 
three inches in length, it requires no slight degree of inge- 
nuity and skill to form the large surfaces of embroidery with 
them, so common on Indian belts and other articles of dress. 
This work is performed in several ways; by passing a deli- 
cate fibre of sinew through a hole previously made with an 
awl, and at every stitch wrapping it with one or more turns 
of the quill; when this is wound near to its end, the extrem- 
ity is turned into the skin, or is concealed by the next strip, 
so that the whole work appears as if formed of a continuous 
piece; in other cases the quills are used without the aid of 
the sinew, being merely passed through the awl holes. 
Examples of these, and in fact, of every mode in which they 
are employed by our native Indians, may be seen in the 
unrivalled collection of aboriginal dresses belonging to the 
Philadelphia Museum. 
The Canada Porcupine is principally found in the northern 
parts of the United States and Canada as high as 67°; it also 
occurs in some parts of Pennsylvania, but is very rare 
further south. Mr. Cozzens states, that of late years they 
have multiplied greatly, and are become numerous near 
Oneida Lake, and in the north western part of the State of 
New York. In the fur countries, they are most numerous 
in sandy districts covered with the Pinus Banksiana of the 
bark of which they are very fond .* They also eat the bark 
of the larch and spruce fir, and the buds of various species 
of willow. Further south, their food is principally composed 
of the bark and leaves of the hemlock and basswood, though 
they are also fond of sweet apples, Indian corn, &c., which 
they eat in a sitting posture, using their fore paws like the 
squirrels. 
They are very slow in their movements, and remain in 
the same spot for a long time. Plearne says, “that the In- 
dians, going with packets from fort to fort, often see them 
in the trees, but not having occasion for them at that time, 
leave them till they return; and should their absence be for 
a week or ten days, they are sure to find them within a mile 
of the place where they had seen them before. ” When 
moving, the tail hangs down very low, and in the winter 
makes a deep furrow or track in the snow which cannot be 
mistaken for that of any other animal. They are generally 
discovered, however, by the devastation they commit on 
the trees, which, if done in the winter, is a sure sign that 
the animal is near. They will, in most cases, be found on 
the branches, and when approached, utter a weak cry like 
* Richardson, Faun. am. bor. 
