500 



SPINES OF PORCUPINE 



and even occurring in Europe. There are several species, of 

 which the common Hystrix cristata is the best known, and is the 

 one which is to be found in Europe. 



The spines of the common form and of the others are solid in 

 the middle of the body, but on the tail they are expanded into 

 hollow quills, which make much rattling. They are as a rule 

 black and white, the middle of the spine being banded with 

 black. A great crest of coarse long hairs on the head is 

 responsible for the scientific name of the well-known form. 



FlQ. 245. Common Porcupine. Hystrix cristata. x^. 



Sometimes in this genus, as in the Tree Porcupines of Brazil, the 

 spines are orange or yellow ; but it is said that the colour is soon 

 lost in this country. As a matter of fact it is the easiest thing 

 in the world to wash out with ordinary tap-water much of the 

 yellow colour of the spines of the South American Sphingurvs. 

 The same may be the case with the pigment of the Old-World 

 Porcupines. There are fourteen to fifteen dorsal vertebrae and 

 four or five lumbars. The tail varies in length, but is shorter 

 than the long tail of the arboreal New- World forms. It seems 

 impossible when mentioning the Porcupine to escape from some 

 observations about its alleged habit of shooting its quills. For 

 some reason or other Buffon has got the credit of inventing, or at 



