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The Porcupine from Uudfon’s Bay. 
Ay OR Shape and Bignefs it much refembles a Caftor or Beaver, or to compare it-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 flat Nofe intirely covered with fhort Hair; 
the Tecth 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 fmall 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 
Vail towards the End is White; it is clothed all over the Body with pretty foft Fur 
about four Inches long, tho’ fhorter about the Head and near the Paws, and alittle 
longer on the hinder Part of the Head: beneath the Hair on the upper Part-of the 
Ffead, Body and Tail, it is thick fet with very tharp tiff Quills, the longeft being 
hardly three Inches long, which eradually fhortens 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 {tiff ftraggling Hairs thinly fer, 
three Inches longer than the under Fur, the Ends of which being of a dirty White, 
made the Pur appear a little erifled 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 eatily drawn out when entered the Skin: There came over with 
this, a young one about the Bignefs of a Rat; ithad 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 toDr. R. M. Mafey, and are 
now in Sir Haz Sloane's ColleGion at Chelfea. 1 believe this Creature has not before 
been defcribed. The Quills are white with black Points. See in the Flate a Quill 
of its natural Shape and Size, and the Point of a Quill magnified. 
A Friend of mine refiding at Hudjon's Bay, at my Requeft has refolved me fome 
Queries I fent him relating to this Creature. 
Extrati from his Letter, dated Albany, Augult 10, 1742... 
Mg coe Porcupine in this Country, is a Beaft which makés its Neft or Den under 
the Roots of great Trees, and fleeps much ; it feeds on the Bark of Juniper 
** and other Trees, but chiefly on Juniper; in Winter it eats Snow inftead of drinking, 
** and laps Water in Summer like a Cat or Dog, but carefully avoids going into it. 
** His Hair and Quills remain all Semmer 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 Baft Main, feveral of my trading Indians depending on them 
** for Food at fome Seafons of the Year. | 
Your moft humble Servant, 
ALEXANDER LIGHT. 
A 
