NO. 1552. NOTES ON MALAYAN PORCUPINES- LYOK 579 



pointed apex. The sides of head, the under parts, and the legs are in 

 general covered with soft flattened spines similar to those in the upper 

 back, but shorter and not so stiff. 



Skeleton. — The main featpres of the skull of the genus Acanthion 

 have previously been pointed out. The relative size and shape of the 

 skull and of its various parts are clearl}^ shown in fig. 5, Plates LIV, LV, 

 and LVI, so that no detailed description is necessary here. The verte- 

 bral formula is Cv. 7, D. l-t, L. 5,. S. 4, Cd. about 15. The axis bears 

 a large rectangular neural spine, projecting backward as a thin plate 

 of bone, laterally compressed. (Plate LVIl, tig. 11.) The seventh cer- 

 vical bears a long pointed neural spine, about three times the length of 

 the neural spine in front of it, and about half the size of the first 

 dorsal spine. The lumbar vertebra have large rectangular lateral 

 processes, directed forward. (Plate LVII, tig. 12.) The first and half 

 of the second sacral vertebrae serve for the attachment of the ilia. The 

 presternum is relativel}^ long, and its expanded part relatively narrow. 

 The limb bones are relatively short and heavy, the scapulte wide. 



ACANTHION BRACHYURUM (Linnccus). 



1758. \_Hyslrix'\ hrachnum 'Li'snmvs, Systema Naturae, I, 10th ed., p. 57. Based 

 on Seba, Reruin Nat. Thesaur., I, p. 81, pi. lii, fig. 1, from Java, Sumatra, 

 and from Malacca. In view of Seba's name Hystrix rnalaccenais and his 

 especial reference to its locality as Malacca, that country may properly be 

 considered the type-locality. 



1866. Acmithodueras grotei Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1866, p. 310, pi. xxxi. 

 Type-locality: Malacca. (See Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1866, p. 417.) 



1871. Hi/strix longicauda, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1871, p. 234. 



1900. Hystrix longicauda, Flower, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1900, p. 364. 



1903. Hystrix grotei, Bonhote, Fasc. Malay. Zool., I, July, 1903, p. 39, pi. iii. 



Distribution.— M.Si\sij Peninsula. 



Diagnostic characters. — Apparently the largest of the Malayan 

 species. Greatest length of skull, 135 to 150 mm. 



Color. — Upper half of back, top of head, underparts, and legs and 

 feet, an indefinite blackish brown or brownish black; a dirty white or 

 dirty buff patch on throat, parti}' extended upward and backward 

 along the side of neck. This is followed by a blackish brown collar 

 and this in turn by a lighter collar, but this latter is not always well 

 marked. The quills are dirty white or dirty buff in color, each with 

 a band of blackish brown 20 to 30 mm. wdde at or below the middle. 



Skull. — The only peculiarit}' of the skull of this species apparently 

 is its large size, total length of an old adult being 150 mm. and of a 

 young adult about 140 nmi. 



Measureme7its. — See table, page 593. 



Specimens exainivied. — One old female from Champang, Tenasserim; 

 two adults and two 3'oung from Trong, Lower Siam. 



