This animal has never yet received a distinct name: placed by Nature in
the desert part of North America, it exists in independence far distant
from man, and has not even received from him a name, which is the first
mark of an animal's subjection. Hudson having discovered the country
where he inhabits, we shall give him a name which has an affinity
with his first master, and which, at the same time, indicates his
sharp bristly nature. It was likewise necessary to give him a name,
that he might not be confounded with the porcupine or coendou, which
he resembles in some few characters, but so materially differs from
them in other respects that he ought to be looked upon as a different
species. He is also a native of the northern climates, while the others
particularly belong to that of the south.
Edward, Ellis, and Catesby, have all spoken of this animal: the figures
given by the two first agree with ours, and we have no doubt of their
being the same animal. We are likewise strongly inclined to believe,
that the figure and description Seba has given, under the name of _the
remarkable porcupine of the East Indies_, and which afterwards Klein,
Brisson, and Linnæus, indicated in their methodical lists by characters
extracted from Seba, may be the same animal as we are now treating of.
This would not, as we have already observed, be the only time that
Seba has spoken of American animals as belonging to the East Indies.
However we cannot be so positive with respect to this as we have been
with many other animals; all that we can say is, that the resemblances
appear to be very great, and the differences very slight, and that
these differences may possibly be only varieties between individuals,
or such as distinguish the males from the females.
The _urson_ might be called the _bristly beaver_, he being of the same
country, the same size, and the same form of body. He has, like the
beaver, two long, strong, and sharp incisive teeth at the end of each
jaw. Besides his prickles, which are short, and almost covered with
hair, like the beaver, he has a double coat, the first consists of long
and soft hairs, and the second of a down, which is still more soft and
smooth. In the young ursons the prickles are proportionably larger,
more apparent, and the hair shorter and scarcer than in the adults.
This animal avoids moist places, and is even fearful of wetting
himself. They make their habitations under the roots of great
hollow trees, sleep very much, and chiefly feed upon the bark of
juniper-bushes. In winter the snow serves them for drink; and in summer
they lap water like a dog. The savages eat their flesh, and strip the
bristles off the hide, which they make use of instead of pins and
needles, and clothe themselves with the fur.