i38 HEDGEHOGS FROM MADAGASCAR. 



genus ; the other species resemble young tailless Porcupines , 

 and among them we may distinguish three species , the 

 first shows nowhere trace of longitudinal lines; the second 

 bears three white bands on the back , the middle of 

 the head being also provided with a white streak ; while 

 the third species is ornated with fii-e white lines on the 

 \)2ick,' without white streak on the head. 



Flacourt ■*) relates : il y a une espèce de porcespy que 

 Ton nomme Tendrac {Tendiac in the very bad illustra- 

 tion), les gens du pais en sont fort friands tant les 

 Roandries que les Negres: mais pour moy je n'en ay jamais 

 pen manger. lis sont tousieurs fort gras, leur chair est 

 fade, longue et molasse. lis dorment six mois, pendant 

 lesquels il ne mange point, et pour cet effect s'enterrent 

 assez avant en terre : cependant qu'ils dorment leur poll 

 tombe, et il en renaist d'autre quand ils se reveillent. lis 

 foisonnent beaucoup ; leur poll est aussi picquant que celuy 

 du Herison. II y a quantite de Herisons ainsi qu'en France , 

 qu'ils nomment Sora.'' 



Now it is evident that Sora is the species resembling 

 externally the Erinaceus europaeus. But who shall make out 

 what Flacourt meant with his Tendrac f Did is belong to the 

 genus Centetes or to Hemicentetes ? 



Buffon ^) described and figured s. n. Tendrac and Tanrec 

 two Hedgehogs from Madagascar , without streaks on the 

 back, the Tendrac measuring about 16 c. m. , the Tanrec 

 about 21 c. m. According to Buffon the Tendrac resem- 

 bles the "common Herisson;" the Tanrec^ on the other 

 hand , having a much more pointed muzzle , a kind of 

 elevated crest on the neck , e. s. o. , belongs thus to ano- 

 ther group or species. 



Afterwards ^) Buffon figured another Hedgehog s. n. 

 le jeune Tanrec, measuring about 11 cm., and embellished 

 with three white streaks on the back : and in the descrip- 



1) Histoire de la grande isle Madagascar. 1661, p. 152, pi. tig. 



2) Histoire naturelle, T. XII, 1764, p. 440, fig». LVI et LVII. 



3) Histoire naturelle, Supple'm3nt, T. Ill, 1776, p. 214, fig. XXXVII. 



Notes from the Leyden ]yiu.seu.m. 



