PORCUPINES. 273 



unearthly noises, somewhat resembling the grunt of a 

 hog, mingled with sundry guttural and wheezing notes, 

 gradually approaching our quarters from the jungle at 

 the back. A small hunting party was soon organized, 

 and sallied out in chase. The sounds grew nearer and 

 nearer, when suddenly, a rustling noise was heard, the 

 bushes shook, and out rushed the object of our alarm, in 

 the shape of a Porcupine ! These animals, like Hedge- 

 hogs, appear to be almost entirely nocturnal in their 

 habits, and I had no idea that the quiet creatures one 

 sees in Menageries, were in the practice in a wild state, 

 of making such hideous noises, and of trotting about with 

 so much animation. On another occasion, a reptile, des- 

 cribed as a gigantic Iguana, having been seen in the 

 neighbourhood of our dwelling at Sarawak, I was anxious 

 to procure it, as I conceived it must be a large species of 

 Hydrosaums, or Lace-lizard. For this purpose, I watched 

 two days by the side of a spring, which I fancied the 

 reptile would select as his head-quarters during his stay 

 in our neighbourhood, this being a peculiarity of these 

 creatures, and on the third day, sure enough, he came, 

 trotting leisurely along, and stretched himself at full 

 length on the brink : 



"Nunc etiam in gelida sede lacerta latet ". 

 Throwing myself on him, I wounded him with a clasp- 

 knife in the tail, but he managed to elude my grasp, and 

 made for the woods. I succeeded, however, in tracking 

 his retreating form, on hands and knees, through a low, 

 covered labyrinth, in the dense undergrowth, until I 

 saw him extended on a log, when leaving the jungle, I 

 called my servant, a Marine, who was shooting specimens 



VOL. II T 



