HYSTRIX 543 



extending back to glenoid level, their median length about three 

 times that of frontals, the posterior margin of the two together 

 forming a broad, even curve ; dental formula : i ^ \ niii 1-, m ^"■' 

 = 20 ; tail short ; neck with conspicuous crest of long coarse 

 bristles. 



Heniarks. — The genus Hystrix as here restricted contains the 

 African and Italian species only. Several forms have been 

 described, the status of which is inij^erfectly understood. One 

 occurs in Europe. 



HYSTRIX CRISTATA Linujfus. 



1758. [Hystrix'] cristata Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., i, 10th ed., p. 5G (near Rome, 



Italy). 

 1792. H[ystrix] cristata europxa Kerr, Anim. Kiiigd., p. 213 (Renaming of 



cristata) . 

 1839. ? [Hystrix cristata] \B,v. alba De Selys-Longchamps, Etudes de Micro- 



mamni., p. 152 (nomeu nudum). 

 1910. Hystrix cristata Trouessart, Faune Mamm. d'Europe, p. 212. 



Type local'dij. — Near Rome, Italy.* 



Geographical distribution. — Northern Africa ; central and 

 southern Italy ; Sicily. (Wrongly attributed to the Iberian 

 Peninsula.) f 



.Diagnosis. — General characters as in the genus Hystrix ; 

 size medium, the condylobasal length of skull about 130 mm., 

 depth of skull at front of tooth row about 50 mm. 



External characters. — Form heavy, the body appearing much 

 larger posteriorly than anteriorly on account of the mass of 

 specially elongated quills on posterior half of back ; head short, 

 the eye rather large, the ear low and inconspicuous ; legs short ; 

 feet broad ; tail shorter than hind foot, though bearing a dense 

 mass of quills which make it appear much longer. Head rather 

 short and deep ; ear low, rounded, overlaid by the bristle-like 

 hairs springing from region above and behind eye, a small but 

 evident lobe in front of meatus ; muzzle pad and median portion 

 of upper lip finely pubescent with fine and short but rather stift" 

 hairs ; nostrils situated in a deep groove crossing muzzle hori- 

 zontally ; upper lip with narrow median cleft. Front foot short 

 and broad, with four short, well developed digits and a rudi- 

 mentary thumb, the two median digits longest and bearing the 

 largest claws, the second and fifth successively shorter, all four 

 with strong slightly curved claws, the thumb a mere tubercle 

 covered on its upper surface by the rudimentary nail ; palm 



* The statement "Habitat in Asia" is merely equivalent to saying 

 that the animal is foreign. The reference to the Systema [4th ed.], p. 9, 

 No. 1, leads directly to Ray (Syn. Meth. Auim. Quadr., p. 209), whose 

 account is based on a specimen from the mountainous districts near 

 Rome (see Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1911, p. 144). 



t The peculiar distribution suggests the possibility that the animal's 

 presence in Italy is due to artificial introduction. 



