352 



Zoological Society. 



of the back and by the form of the intermaxillary, though they are 

 subject to some variation. 



The figures by Harvey published by Mr. Bennett above- quoted 

 well represent the elongated drooping dorsal spines of this species. 



Measurement of the Skulls in inches and lines. 



Length of skull above... 



Length of nasal 



Width at middle of orbits . 

 Width of nose in middle... 

 Width of lower edge of 1 



zygoma J 



Lower edge of zygoma to "I 



central suture J 



Palate to middle of crown T 



end of nasal J 



Length of skull beneath . . . 



Length of palates 



Length of grinder series . . . 



Length of lower jaw 



Width at ear-bones 



Width at condyles 



Height of occiput from 1 



foramen J 



H. cris- 

 tata. 



Adult. 

 5 7 

 2 8} 

 2 3 



1 10 



2 7 



5 10 

 3 2 



1 5 

 3 10 



2 1 

 1 2 



H. cris- H. leu- 

 tata. curus. 



Junior. 

 4 

 1 9 



1 11 



i *i 



2 2 



4 2 

 2 2 



1 5 



2 11 

 1 11 

 1 



H. leu- 

 curus. 



No. 32. No. 34. 



5 10 I 5 8 

 3 Oil 2 8^ 



2 5 



1 10 



2 11 

 2 11 



2 7 



1 H 



4 2 



1 3* 



2 3 



1 9 



2 11 



2 7 



2 2* 



5 



3 



1 



4 



2 



1 2* 



1 2 



2. ACANTHION. 



Tail short ; crown and nape not crested. Spikes short, flattened 

 and channeled above. Skull rather elongate, convex above ; the 

 nasal and intermaxillary reaching to the line even with the front, or 

 even to the middle of the orbit ; the intermaxillaries triangular, nar- 

 rowed behind ; the palate moderately wide between the grinders ; 

 the grinders subcylindrical, not longer than broad. 



F. Cuvier established his genus Acanthion on a skull and skeleton 

 in the Paris Museum. He gave as the character the less convexity 

 of the head and the smaller size of the nose ; but he takes no notice 

 of the size and form of the intermaxillary, which appears to be the 

 best character of the group. 



M. G. Cuvier and Brandt have not adopted M. F.Cuvier's genus. 



This genus presents two very distinct sections : — 



* The nasal very long, broad to the middle of the orbit. Acanthion. 



•f Malar bone simple. Palatine openiny parallel. 



1. Acanthion Hodgsonii, n. s. Lesser Indian Porcupine. 



Crown and nape without any crest. Blackish brown, neck with a 



very narrow indistinct white collar. Spines of the head and neck 



slender, bristle-like ; of the front half of the body short, angular, 



acute, with a deep groove ; of the hinder part of the back longer, with 



a very small pale tip and some white ones ; some of the latter are 



moderately long and thick, with a black end ; and others are longer 



and slenderer, with a subcentral black band. Skull rather elongate, 



narrowed before the orbit; the intermaxillaries very narrow, and rather 



