128 MAMMALIA. GLIRES. 



P. Sibiricusj Desm. (S. volans, Lin.) The Flying Squirrel. Fur 

 ashy-gray above, white below ; tail half the length of the body. 

 About six inches long. There is a white variety. Northern 

 Europe. Shaw, ii. pi. 149. 



P. volucella, Desm. Fur of a reddish gray above, white below ; tail 

 nearly as long as the body. About five inches long. United 

 States. Shaw, ii. 150. 



P. genibarbus, Horsf. The Kechubu. Fur gray above, white be- 

 neath ; vibrissae on the cheeks and sides of the head, tail flat and 

 distichous. Java. Griff. An. King. Syn. 261. 



P. lepidus, Horsf. Fur blackish brown, white beneath; head and 

 middle of back gray; tail longer than the body, flat ; ears naked; 

 vibrissae very large. Griff. An. King. Syn. 261. 



Section 2. With incomplete clavicles or none. 

 Gen. 108. HYSTRIX, Lin. Cuv. Coendu, Lacep. 



Incisors f, canines g-g ? molars f-f, = 20. Molars with flat 

 crown, but with ridges of enamel ; head strong ; muzzle gib- 

 bous ; ears short, rounded ; tongue with spiny scales ; fore- 

 feet with four toes, and a rudimentary thumb ; hind-feet pen- 

 tadactyle ; spines more or less long on the body, sometimes 

 intermixed with hairs ; tail sometimes prehensile. 



M. F. Cuvier has divided this genus into five genera ; but as the species bear no 

 comparison to this excessive subdivision, no confusion can arise from retaining the 

 old name. 



H. cristala, Lin. Crested Porcupine. With very long spines on 

 the back, annulated with black and white ; a mane of long stiff 

 hairs on the head and neck ; tail short. About two feet long. 

 Africa. Shaw, ii. pi. 122. 

 The Porcupine burrows in the ground, and feeds on vegetable substances, coming 



out at night to feed. When it is irritated, it erects the spines on its body, rattles 



those on its tail, and strikes with its feet on the ground like hares and rabbits. Its 



voice resembles the grunting of a pig. Its flesh is eaten. 



H. dor&ata, Desm. Spines short, partly concealed in the brown 

 hair ; tail elongated ; no mane ; hair on the head and neck long. 

 Two feet long. Canada. Shaw, ii. pi. 125. Type of M. F. 

 Cuvier's genus Erethizon. 



H.Jasciculata, Lin. (Mus fasciculatus, Desm.) Spines like strips 

 of parchment; those on the body flat, black. Less than the common 

 porcupine. Inhabits India. This is the type of M. F. Cuvier's 

 genus Acanthion Shaw, ii. pi. 124. 



H. Javanica. (H. longicauda, Marsden.) Like the last, but the tail 

 shorter. Sumatra. Marsden, Sum. t. 17. 



H. macroura, Gmel. (Mwy macrourus, Desm.) Upper part of the 

 body covered with strong rounded spines ; tail half the length of 

 the body, tufted with spines formed like grains of rice. India. 

 Shaw, ii. pi. 124. 



