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216 at their proper length; else they would grow too long and cause his death, by forcing his jaws so far apart that he could not use them.

"The name, porcupine, is a corruption of the old French porc espin, meaning spring pig. The central family of porcupines is divided into two branches, Old World or terrestrial and New World or arboreal. The South American tree porcupines are better adapted for tree climbing than the Canadian species. They are smaller, have short, many coloured spines and a long tapering tail (prehensile)." (Ingersoll.)

The Canadian porcupine is a nocturnal prowler. He sleeps by day, travels, eats and plays by night and does not hibernate. He is found as far north as Alaska. The food of the Eastern Canadian Porcupine consists of the bark and leaves of the bass wood, sugar maple, slippery elm and ash, barks, seeds and berries. In the West the cottonwood seems to be a favourite with him. The African Porcupine is larger than the American animal.

The quills of the old world porcupine are stripped alternately black and white. The flesh