HISTRICID^. 



113 



Two figures of skulls (Fig. 71 and 72) represent the 

 skull oi' a species termed, by F. Cuvier, Acantkiou 

 Javanicum, and that of the common porcupine by way 

 of comparison. With respect to the genus Acanthlon, 

 founded by F. Cuvier on the characters of two skulls, 

 one of which was brought from Java, we are strongly 

 inclined to consider it identical with the genus Atherura 

 of Baron Cuvier, though the latter, in his ' Regne 



70.— Teeth of Erethizon. 



Animal,' makes no allusion to the genus proposed by his 

 brother. Fischer gives the Acanthion Javanicum of 

 F. Cuvier as identical with the fasciculated porcupine 

 ( Athenira fasciculata) ^ and is probably correct. The 

 fasciculated porcupine has been long known to science, 

 and is figured by Buffbn as the " Pore-epic de Malacca ;" 

 but since his time, till within the few last years, no 

 specimen had reached Europe. In 1828 M. Diard sei;t 

 a skin and skeleton to France, from India, and about the 



