852 Marvels of the Universe 
ordinary soft-haired mammals to the complete cheveux de frise with which the “ fretful porcupine ”’ 
is equipped. 
In the deserts of Syria and North Africa there are, for instance, certain ‘“‘ spiny mice,” whose 
bristly coats, doubtless, render them an exceedingly unpleasant morsel to owls and other birds; 
while there are likewise spiny rats in South America. Again, the Tree-Porcupines of the latter 
country, in which the spines partake largely of the nature of bristly hairs, serve to lead on to their 
more spiny Canadian relative ; while much the same thing may be observed when the relatively 
small Brush-tailed Porcupines of the Malay countries and West Africa are compared with the larger 
true Porcupines of the Old World. 
But Porcupines are by no means the only mammals which have developed a complete spiny 
armour ; for we have a familiar instance of another such development in our own hedgehog and 
Photoby] ae _[W.S. Berridge, F.Z.8. 
THE CANADIAN PORCUPINE. 
Although a tree-climbing species, where one would expect to find a long tail that could be used for climbing, the Canadian 
Porcupine is possessed of a short, thick tail, and is besides very heavily built. It is a voracious creature, and will entirely strip 
a tree when the foliage is to its liking. 
its Old World relatives, which have nothing to do with Porcupines properly so-called, but are 
more nearly akin to moles and shrewmice. Madagascar, again, has a spiny animal in the shape of 
the so-called hedgehog-tenrec, which is likewise a member of the shrewmouse order, although 
belonging to a peculiar group restricted to the great African island. Neither have Australia and 
New Guinea been left out in the cold in this matter, since they are the home of the so-called Porcupine 
Ant-eaters, of which more anon. 
Judging from one’s own feelings, immunity from attack would seem to be somewhat dearly 
bought by the acquisition of a spiny coat like that of the Porcupines ; but as the creatures have 
been brought up to such a garb, they are obviously used to it, and, therefore, do not pine for the 
velvety dress of the mole. 
“ Porcupine,” or “ Porpentine,” as it was once spelt, is a corruption of porcepin, or “spiny pig,” 
the South European name of the typical representative of the whole group. That the creature has 
nothing to do with swine will be obvious to anyone-who takes the trouble to look at a Porcupine 
