454 



THE BANDED TENREC, OR VARIED TENREC. 



inches in length. The color of this animal is rather rich and varied, owning to the deep 

 tinting of the quills and the soft hues of the long and flexible hairs which stud the body 

 intermixed with the quills. The hair is of a pale yellow, and the quills are of a deep red 

 or mahogany tint towards their points and white towards their bases. The long coarse 

 hairs which cover the abdomen and the legs are annulated. This animal is said to be 

 generally found in the neighborhood of water, whether fresh or salt, and to make deep 

 burrows near the bank. The natives esteem it highly as an article of food. 



THE BANDED TENREC, or VARIED TENREC, as the name is sometimes given, is also a 

 native of Madagascar, and has derived its title of Banded, or Varied, from the bold color- 

 ing of the quills and hair. 



The general color of the back is a blackish-brown, diversified with three bold stripes 

 of yellowish-white, that afford a strong contrast with the dark ground-hues of the back. 

 The centre one of these stripes extends along the entire length of the animal, and the two 

 others commence by the ear and terminate by the flank. The hair that covers the under 

 portions of the body is of a yellowish-white color. 



