THE TANREC. 453, 
months of the year, secure in the burrow which it has excavated by means of the powerful 
and crooked claws which are attached to its feet. 
Some writers assert that its period of torpidity is during the heat of summer, while 
others, who have had practical knowledge of the animal and its habits, say that its periodic 
somnolence takes place during the cold and wintry months. These contradic tory accounts 
ean be reconciled by the fact, that the Mauritian winter is from June to November, and 
that the months which in that island are reckoned as summer months, are winter months 
with ourselves. 
It is not very commonly seen, even in the localities which it most frequents, as it is a 
nocturnal animal, and, except when under the protection of the shades of night, very 
seldom leaves the burrow in which it has taken up its residence. The locality which it 
chooses for its subterranean residence is generally well chosen for the purpose of security, 
being usually among the old roots of clumps of bamboos, which defend and conceal the 
entrance, and offer an almost insurmountable obstacle to any foe that might desire to dig 
the animal out of its den. 
The natural food of the Tanree consists of worms, insects, snails, reptiles, and various 
similar substances, but the creature will condescend to feed for a time on more sophisticated 
TANREC,—Centétes ecauddtus 
dainties, such as boiled rice. It is supposed that an unmixed vegetable diet would be 
very hurtful to the animal’s well-being. 
Possessed of a most overpowering and unpleasant smell of musk, the Tanrec is not an 
animal which would be supposed to furnish an agreeable article of diet to any one, except 
to a starving man in the last extremity of hunger. Yet the natives of Madagascar esteem 
it among their rarest luxuries, and are so tenacious of this very powerful food, that they 
can hardly be induced to part with a specimen which they have captured, and which they 
have alree ady dedicated, in anticipation, to the composition of some wonderful specimen of 
the cook’s art. 
The Tanree is an inhabitant of Madagascar, as may be deduced from its popular title 
of Madagascar Hedgehog, but has been taken to the Mauritius and there naturalized. 
THERE are other species of the Madagascar Hedgehog, besides the tanrec, among which 
are recognised the TENDRAC, or Spiny TENREC (Centétes spinosus), and the BANDED 
TENREC (Centétes Madagascarensis). 
The former of these animals is inferior in size to the tanvec, being only five or six 
