Page:Charles Catton, Animals (1788).pdf/71



very ingular properties of this animal have been the foundation of many fabulous reports.

Nature, in all her productions, gives to every animal ome particular quality—in ome he implants a fierce and avage cruelty, regarding only the gratification of an inordinate appetite; in others a mind harmles and peaceable, yet poeed of powers and faculties to act on the defenive, uch as extreme caution, or cunning, which may be called an internal defence; or an external one, uch as hields the animal now before us—thus guarding the weaker againt the overbearing oppreion of the tronger, thereby preerving an equality and balance in her productions. The Porcupine is in its nature quiet, and eldom gives provocation of offence; and when attacked by an animal of prey defends itelf by erecting its quills in uch a manner as always to keep them pointed towards the enemy; thus ecuring its own afety. Sparman, a modern traveller to the Cape, reports, "By rolling up its body like the hedge-hog into a heap, and etting up its prickles, or quills, many of which are a foot and a half long, it is perfectly well defended from dogs, as well as other animals.”—If time permits, it makes towards, and acends a tree, where perched in afety, it wearies the patience of its puruer.

The power formerly attributed to the porcupine of voluntarily dicharging its quills, and with them mortally wounding, at a coniderable ditance, is now entirely dicredited, great provocation having been ued, if poible, to produce this effect, but without ucces. The quills are trongly inerted in the body of the animal; each one fed or upported by a mall ball or nucleus of a oft pongy matter, varying in ize according to the bulk of the quill.

Thoe Porcupines which inhabit the Eat are reported to poes a Bezoar or tone, which is reputed an antidote to poion; this is found in the head, and is conidered of great value. Taverner reports his giving five-hundred crowns for one, which he afterwards changed to advantage; he ays they are alo found in the belly ometimes. Of this animal there are everal pecies little akin otherwie than in being provided with a coat of quills. The one here drawn has the upper lip divided, head like an hare, with a row or ruff of tiff britles urrounding it on the forepart of the houlders and top of the head, reclining backwards; the body part is thickly covered with quills from nine to twelve inches long, very harp at the point, and regularly annulated with alternate black and white; ome of the larger quills are near a quarter of an inch diameter; the internal ubtance is pongy, like the upper part of a gooe-quill; the body is thickly covered with hair between the quills; the head, belly, and legs are covered with trong britles rooted among oft hair; the feet are hort, as is the tail, which is covered with quills: the general length of the animal is about three feet; it inhabits Africa, India, Tartary, and Paletine. In Italy a pecies with horter quills run wild; thee are old in the market at Rome, where they are eat:—The traveller before quoted ays, "the fleh nearet reembles pork, a circumtance which undoubtedly gave it the name it bears; it is chiefly ued as bacon, being moked and dried up the chimney for that purpoe, and is by no means ill-tated." It feeds on fruits, roots, and herbs; the colour inclines to black.