( 5 2 ) 
The Porcupine from Hudfbn’s Bay. 
J^QR Shape : and Bignefs it .much refembles a Caftor or Beaver, or to compare if to 
- fome well known Thing for Size of Body, it is equal to a Fox, tho’ unlike it in 
Shape; the Head is like a Rabit’s ; it hath a flatNofe intirely covered with fhort Hair,; 
the Teeth before, two above and two beneath, are very ftrong, of a yellow Colour, and 
feem to be made for gnawing or biting of grafs ; it hath very final 1 Ears hardly ap¬ 
pearing beyond the Fur; the Legs are fhort, the Claws long, four on each Foot for¬ 
wards, and five on each hinder Foot, all hollowed within like Scoops; the Tail is of 
a middling Length, thicker toward the Body than at the End, the under-fide of the 
Tail towards the End is White; it is clothed all over the Body with pretty foftFur 
about four Inches long, tho’ fihorter about the Head and near the Paws, and a little 
longer on the hinder Part of the Head; beneath the Hair on the upper Part of the 
Head, Body and Tail, it is thick fet with very fharp ftifF Quills, the longed being 
hardly three Inches long, which gradually fihortens towards the Nofe, and on the 
Sides towards the Belly, the Quills cannot be feen through the Fur, except a little on 
the Rump where the Hair was thin ; it had befides the foft Fur which was all the 
Body over a dark Brown or Sable-colour, fome long ftifF draggling Hairs thinly fet, 
three Inches longer than the under Fur, the Ends of which being of a dirty White, 
made the Fur appear a little grilled in fome places, the Quills are very fharp, feveral 
of them having ftuck fafter in my Fingers than in the Skin on a flight touch; they 
are bearded, and not eafily drawn out when entered the Skin : There came over with 
this, a young one about the Bignefs of a Rat; it had a blacker Fur than the old one, 
and the Quills were plainly feen and felt among the Hair. 
Thefe were brought from Hudfon s Bay, and prefented to Dr. R. M. Majfey, and are 
nowin Sir Han Sloane s Collection at Chelfea . I believe this Creature has not before 
been defcribed» The Quills are white with black Points. See in the Plate a Quill 
of its natural Shape and Size, and the Point of a Quill magnified. 
A Friend of mine refiding at Hudfon s Bay , at my Requeft has refolved me fome 
Queries I fent him relating to this Creature. 
Extradl from his Letter, dated Albany, Augult 10, 1742. 
“ r i ’HE Porcupine in this Country, is a Beaft which makes its Neft orDen under 
«« JL the Roots of great Trees, and lleeps much; it feeds on the Bark of Juniper 
e ‘ and other Trees, but chiefly on Juniper; in Winter it eats Snow inftead of drinking, 
cc and laps Water in Summer like a Cat or Dog, but carefully avoids going into it. 
“ His Hair and Quills remain all Summer without Alteration of Colour; but as the 
“ Weather grows warmer in the Spring, the Fur grows thinner, as in all Creatures in 
this Country. But you may depend on better Information next Year, for they are 
“ very plentiful on the Eaft Main, feveral of my trading Indians depending on them 
for Food at fome Seafons of the Year. 
Tour mofi humble Servant , 
Alexander Light. 
