. Animal Life and the World of Nature; A magazine of Natural History. A Naturalist's Notes from the Bush 299 Again, through closed lips I drew rny breath sharply, producing that shrill effect so frequently in demand when one is desirous of attracting the attention of a dog, caged bird, or encouraging a horse to quicken its pace; and once more the effect upon the animal was most pronounced, the porcupine instantly assuming a ball-like attitude and setting every spine on end. A second time I tried the same experiment, and the animal at once commenced to burrow. Since I eventually maintained perf
. Animal Life and the World of Nature; A magazine of Natural History. A Naturalist's Notes from the Bush 299 Again, through closed lips I drew rny breath sharply, producing that shrill effect so frequently in demand when one is desirous of attracting the attention of a dog, caged bird, or encouraging a horse to quicken its pace; and once more the effect upon the animal was most pronounced, the porcupine instantly assuming a ball-like attitude and setting every spine on end. A second time I tried the same experiment, and the animal at once commenced to burrow. Since I eventually maintained perfect silence, burrowing operations were soon deemed a superfluous effort, and the animal somewhat deliberately unfolded from its spherical pose, pausing for a moment to reconnoitre ere it resumed the interesting occupation of unearthing its treasures from their case-hardened, weather-crusted receptacle. With little hind-legs well set apart and long, pointed snout nearly hidden beneath its chest, the porcupine tore away the caked exterior of the ant-heap, much as the English mole, when alarmed during a moonlight ramble, burrows into the outside walls of its dome-like edifice. The broken earth was cast aside, not rapidly, or even energetically, but with a most effective shovelling stroke, serving to reach in a surprisingly short time the nurseries and egg-stores of the ant colonv. With great rapidity the porcupine's tongue—which is very long and slender—was darted into the midst of the excited and teeming millions of ants, the glutinous substance peculiar to insect-eating animals and birds retaining them till swallowed. Long before the supply was exhausted the ant-hill was abandoned, which, one is led to think, suggests that a succession of visits is made by the porcupine to various ant colonies in the course of its search for food. My own painful experiences supplied the knowledge that the species of ant thus unearthed is of a savage disposition, sharp, continuous, throbbing
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