170 GLIRES. 
1. Synetheres mexicanus. 
Hystrix mexicana, Kerr, Linn. An. Kingd. p. 214 (1792, ex Pennant)’*. 
Cercolabes liebmani, Reinhardt, Arch. f. Naturg. x. 1, p. 241 (1844, descr. orig.)’. 
Cercolabes nove-hispanie, Waterhouse, Nat. Hist. Mamm. ii. p. 422 (1848, ex Brisson +)*; Tomes, 
P. Z.S. 1861, p. 288*; Frantzius, Arch. f. Naturg. xxxv. 1, p. 272”. 
Hoitztlocuatzin seu Tlacuatzin spinosus, Hernandez, Rer. Med. Nov. Hisp. p. 322. 
Hab. Mexico (Mus. Brit.), Mirador, San Francisco Tenampa (Liebmann, Mus. Hafn.*), 
Yucatan (Gaumer, Mus. Boucard); GuateMaua, Duefias (Salvin, Mus. Brit.*) ; 
Costa Rica, Irazi, Volcan de Barba (frantzius °). 
The Mexican Porcupine was described two centuries ago by Hernandez under the 
euphonious title which it still bears in its native land, and received systematic names 
from Brisson and Kerr. It was long confused, however, with the common Brazilian 
species, S. prehensilis (Linneus); and consequently Professor Reinhardt, to whom we 
are indebted for the first scientific description, thought it best to rename it. As there 
can be no doubt, however, from the references to Hernandez, as to the identity of the 
species, Kerr’s name must of course be preserved. 
Professor Reinhardt’s specimens were obtained at Mirador and San Francisco, in the 
State of Vera Cruz, by the late Professor Liebmann, who stated that the species was 
generally distributed in the eastern parts of Mexico in the temperate hill-region between 
the 22nd and 16th parallels of north latitude?. In Guatemala Mr. Salvin obtained it 
at Duefas*; but it is far from common in that country. In Costa Rica also the Porcu- 
pine appears to be rare; during his lengthened residence in the country Dr. v. Frantzius 
only saw six examples, which were obtained in the high-lying woods of the Ivazi and 
on the Volcan de Barba°®. . 
In his quaint account of the animals of Campeachy, Dampier dismisses this species 
with the remark :—“The Porcupine being a Creature well known, I'll pass it in silence.” 
Unfortunately subsequent travellers have treated the Mexican species in a similar way, 
and nothing appears to have been recorded of its habits. In these, however, it probably 
differs little from its southern congeners, which have been well described by Azara, 
Rengger, Prince Maximilian, and others. : 
* The authority usually quoted for mexicana is Shaw’s ‘General Zoology,’ ii. p. 8 (1801); but Mr. O. Thomas 
has pointed out that it was used as above by Kerr nine years previously. Cf. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 5th 
ser. lv. p. 397. 
f According to the British-Association code, Brisson’s specific names cannot be used. although his genera 
are recognized when they are additional to those of Linneeus. 
