104 



VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. 



The Yellow-haired Porcupine, E. epixanthtis, Brandt, 

 of the Upper Missouri region and the whole Pacific coast 

 Fig. 8 4 . of North America, 



is nearly the size of 

 the Beaver ; general 

 color dark brown, 

 and the long hairs 

 of the body tipped 

 with greenish -yel- 

 low. 



The Genus Hys- 

 trix belongs to the 

 Old World. 



The Crested Por- 

 cupine, //". cristata, 

 Linn., of Southern 

 Europe and Bar- 

 bary, and South- 

 Porcupine, E. dorsatus, F. GUV. western Asia, is of 

 a grizzly dusky black, and the upper part of the head and 

 neck with a crest of long, lighter-colored hairs. Its body 

 is armed with striated spines, the longest of which are a 

 foot in length, and in the middle about the size of a large 

 goose-quill. These are banded with black and white, 

 and terminated by very sharp points. The tail is short, 

 and furnished with hollow, truncated tubes attached to 

 slender pedicles, which make a noise when shaken. When 

 the animal is at rest, the quills lie flat upon the body, the 

 points directed backwards ; when attacked or excited, 

 they are raised, and thus constitute formidable weapons 

 of defence. 



The popular notion that Porcupines have the power to 

 throw their quills at an enemy is entirely erroneous. 



The Genus Dasyprocta Agoutis has four toes be- 

 fore and three behind. The Agoutis belong to South 



