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THE PORCUPINE. 
This animal inhabits many parts of the world, being found in Africa, Southern Europe, 
and India.. The spines, or quills, with which it is furnished, vary considerably in length, the 
longest quills being flexible, and not capable of doing much harm to an opponent. Beneath 
these is a plentiful supply of shorter spines, from five to ten inches in length, which are the 
really effective weapons of this imposing array. Their hold on the skin is very slight, so that 
when they have been struck into a foe, they remain fixed in the wound, and, unless imme- 
diately removed, work sad woe to the sufferer. For the quill is so constructed, that it grad- 
ually bores its way into the flesh, burrowing deeper at every movement, and sometimes- even 
causing the death of the wounded creature. In Africa and India, leopards and tigers have 
frequently been killed, in whose flesh were pieces of Porcupine quills that had penetrated 
deeply into the body, and had even caused suppuration to take place. In one instance, a tiger 
was found to have his paws, ears, and head filled with the spines of a Porcupine, which he 
had vainly been endeavoring to kill. 
Conscious of its powers, the Porcupine is not at all an aggressive animal, and seldom, if 
ever, makes an unprovoked attack. But if irritated or wounded, it becomes at once a very 
unpleasant antagonist, as it spreads out its bristles widely, and rapidly backs upon its oppo- 
nent. There are few horses which will face an irritated Porcupine ; and even the preliminary 
rustle of the quills with which a Porcupine generally prepares every attack, is suflicient to 
make an ordinary horse flee in terror. The rustling sound is produced by a number of hollow 
quills which grow upon the Porcupine’s tail, and which, when that member is agitated, clash 
against each other with a sound very like the peculiar ruffling of a peacock’s train. 
The P orcupine is a nocturnal animal, seldom venturing out of its retreat as long as the 
sun is above the horizon, and is therefore not often seen even in the localities which it most 
prefers. It is said not to require the presence of water, but to quench its thirst by eating the 
succulent roots and plants which it digs out of the ground. Its food is entirely of a vegetable 
nature, and consists of various kinds of herbage, as well as of bark, fruit, and roots. This 
animal takes up its abode in deep burrows which it excavates, and in which it is supposed to 
undergo a partial hibernation. 
As the spines of the Porcupines are of some commercial value, and are used for many 
purposes, the chase of the animal is rather popular in the countries which it inhabits, and 
derives a further interest from the fact that the Porcupine, although a timid creature, can 
make a very powerful resistance when it is driven to despair. In fighting, it depends wholly 
on its quills, and does not attempt to make the least use of its strong and sharp incisor teeth, 
which are able to cut their way through the hardest wood as if it were butter, and would inflict 
most dangerous wounds. So far, indeed, is it from making any use of these formidable 
weapons, that its first care is to protect its head, being probably led to that course of action 
by its fear for its nose, which is so sensitive that the animal is stunned by a comparatively 
slight blow on that organ. 
It does not appear to be very susceptible of domestication, probably because it cannot find 
teachers who are sufficiently fearless of its quills to pay very close attention to it. With the 
exception of the hollow quills in the tail, the spines are encircled with alternate rings of black 
and white, producing a very rich contrast of coloring. The upper parts of the body are 
covered with hair instead of quills, and upon the head and neck there is a kind of crest, com- 
posed of very long stiff hairs, which can be erected or depressed at pleasure. Like the hedge- 
hog, it can coil itself into a ball when it is surprised at a distance from its haven of refuge, 
and can present such an array of threatening spikes, that it is quite safe from any enemy 
excepting man. When, however, the animal is at peace, it is capable of depressing the brist- 
ling spears, and can squeeze itself through an opening which would appear at first sight to be 
hardly large enough to permit the passage of an animal of only half its size. 
The total length of the common Porcupine is about three feet six inches, the tail being 
about six inches long. Its gait is plantigrade, slow, and clumsy, and as it walks, its long 
quills shake and rattle in a very curious manner. Its muzzle is thick and heavy, and its eyes 
small and pig-like. 
