304 Mammals of Eastern Asia 
Burma the local form is named subcristatus, in Nepal hodgsoni, 
and in Tenasserim and Assam klossi. 
Most of the quills are dark brown, some blackish; others have 
bands of white. The stumpy tail is concealed by the overhang 
of the large quills of the back. The head and body have a length 
of about 28 inches, the tail only 2^ inches, the hind foot 3 
Fig. 64. Old World Porcupine, Hystrix brachynrus. 
inches. The weight may amount to 40 pounds. The Acanthion 
Porcupines are found from India and Malaysia north to middle 
China. A distinct variety, Hystrix yunnanensis, is known from 
the Province of Yunnan. 
The Porcupines of this general type are nocturnal burrowing 
animals. They produce from 2 to 4 young at a birth. The young 
are reported born with their eyes open and the body clothed 
with short soft spines. When alarmed, these Porcupines make a 
grunting sound and if attacked by dogs may charge backward, 
inflicting wounds with their sharp quills. They feed normally 
on vegetation but will gnaw bones for the sake of the lime or 
salt contained in them. The flesh is good to eat. 
