99 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



I. Tailshort; shill convex above ; the nasal and intermamllary bones 

 large to (or to behind) the front edge ofthe orbit ; the {upper) grinders 

 all with a fold on the inner side. 



1. Hystrix. The intermaxillary broad and truncated, and as wide 

 behind as before. The grinders oblong, longer than broad, with 

 one very distinct fold on the inner and three or four on the outer 

 side. 



2. AcANTHiON. The intermaxillary triangular, tapering behind; 

 the grinders subcylindrical, not longer than broad, with a distinct 

 fold on the inner and two or three on the outer side. 



II. Tail elongate, ttifted at the end; skull nearly flat above; the nasal 

 and intermajcillary bones short, not nearly reaching to the front of 

 the orbits. Intermaxillary narrotv, truncated behind; the front 

 (upper) grinders {and perhaps all but the lašt) without any fold on 

 the inner side. 



3. Atherura. 



1. Hystrix. 

 Tailshort; crown and nape crested ; gpines subcylindrical, striated; 

 the skull very wide, swollen, convex above ; the nasal and intermaxilla- 

 ries large, reaching to the line even with the front edge of the orbit. 

 The intermaxillaries very large, broad, oblong, as wide behind as 

 before, and truncated behind ; the palate wide between the grinders ; 

 the grinders oblong, longer than broad. The development of the face 

 is produced by the dilatations of the hinder part of the interniaxillary 

 bones. 



1. Hystrix cristata, Linn., &c. (Crested Porcupine). 



H. hirsutirostris, Brandt, M^m. Petersb. 1835, 375, t. 8. f. 3—6. 



Black ; spines of the sides greyish, softish, subcylindrical ; of the 

 back thick, tapering, with several black rings and a moderate -vvhite 

 tip. l'he upper part of the intermaxillary \vider than the width of 

 the nasal. Skull very convex and wide, the palate wider than the 

 ■vvidth of the teeth. 



Inhab. South Europe and Africa. 



The spines are described from a specimen from South Africa, pre- 

 sented to the Museum by Dr. W. Burchell. and the skull, from that 

 of an Italian specimen, received from a menagerie, and a young 

 skull 'tt'ith only thres grinders, brought from Xanthus and presented 

 to the British Museum by G. Scharff, Esq. 



The skull figured by Brandt, Mem. Acad. Petersb. 1835, t. 8. f. 3, 

 4, 5, 6, as that of his Hystrix hirsutirostris, well represents the skull 

 of the young H. cristata from Xanthus. 



The skull of the Italian porcupine figured by F. Cuvier, and of 

 H. cristata figured by Brandt, do not belong to the species above 

 described. 



No. CLXXVI. — Proceedings of tue Zoological Society, 



