THE PORCUPINE. 
221 
tWo holes, one for an entrance and the other 
for escape in case of emergency. It sleeps in 
the day-time, going abroad chiefly in the night 
in quest of food, which consists principally of 
fi’uit, roots, and vegetables. Though it can en- 
sure hunger for a long time, apparently with- 
out inconvenience, it always eats voraciously. 
If taken young, the porcupine maybe easily 
tamed. The late Sir Ashton Lever had one, 
t'^hich he frequently turned out on the grass 
behind his house to play with a tame hunting 
^oopard and a Newfoundland dog. As soon 
iis they were let loose, the dog and the leopard 
ti'ould pursue the porcupine, which always en- 
deavoured at first to escape by flight: but, 
finding this to be impracticable, he would 
thrust his nose into a corner, making a snort- 
ing noise and erecting his spines, with which 
fils pursuers pricked their noses, till they at 
f^ngth began to quarrel with one another, and 
thus afibrded him an opportunity of escaping. 
