The Porcupine. 
155 
and some speckled. There are other small animals which they call 
viscachas, and are like to hares, although they are bigger, they hunt 
them and eate the flesh. Of common hares there are great store in 
some parts.” ( Purchas , vol. iii. p. 966.) 
A notion was prevalent among poets that the Porcu¬ 
pine, Porkespick, or Porkespyne could employ 
{• . ’ 1 , , J Porcupine, 
his quills as darts or assagais, shoot them 
with unerring aim, and transfix his enemies therewith. 
What the poor beast was to do if he was often pursued 
does not seem to have occurred to these writers. The 
porcupine uses its quills as weapons of defence; and if 
they penetrate deeply into its opponent, they are at times 
drawn from the rightful owner. Dogs and other animals 
have often been found with the smaller spines imbedded 
in their flesh. This error may have arisen from the fact 
that the loose quills about to be shed have been seen to 
drop out of the animal’s skin when they were suddenly 
raised. The quaint writer, Du Bartas, has an amusing- 
description of the porcupine’s mode of warfare :— 
“ But 0! what monster’s this that bids me battell, 
On whose rough back an hoast of pikes doth rattle, 
Who string-less shoots so many arrowes out, 
Whose thorny sides are hedged round about 
With stiff steel-pointed quils, and all his parts 
Bristled with bodkins, arm’d with auls and darts. 
Which by fierce darting, seem still fresh to spring, 
And to his aid still new supplies to bring ? 
0 fortunat shaft-never-wanting bow-man! 
Who, as thou fleest, canst hit thy following foe-man, 
And never missest, or but very narrow, 
Th’ intended mark of thy selfs-kindred arrow.” 
(.Divine Weekes, p. 50.) 
This idea is not confined to poets, but is corroborated by 
John Nieuhoff in his voyage to the East Indies. He 
writes:— 
“ About Batavia and in the woods of Java are abundance of iron pigs 
