GYMNURAS. 321 



while in all the others the fur is softer and finer, and the upper canine tooth 

 has two roots, and closely resembles the cheek-teeth. 



Hetlgehogs are represented by five distinct species in India, all characterised 

 by having minute tubercles on the ridges of their spines. It is remarkable that 

 while one of these hedgehogs {E. vucropus) is found in Madras, no repre- 

 sentative of the genus is recorded fi-om the Central Provinces and Beno-al, the 

 other species not occurring till we reach the Noi-th-West Provinces, the Punjab, etc. 

 But little is known of the habits of these Indian species, and nothing as to their 

 breeding ; although it is probable that in both these respects they conform closely 

 to their European cousin. The long- eared Afghan hedgehog (E. megalofis), 

 common in the neighbourhood of Kandahar and Quetta, hibernates, but the 

 species from the Punjab and Southern India are active at all seasons of the 

 year, thus showing how absolutely dependent is the habit of hibernation upon 

 climate. The collared hedgehog {E. collaris), found in the plains of North- Western 

 India, inhabits " sandy country, hiding in holes beneath thorny bushes or in tufts 

 of grass during the day, feeding chiefiy on insects, especially a species of Blujjs, and 

 also on lizards and snails. It makes a granting noise when irritated, and when 

 touched suddenly jerks up its back so as to throw its spines forward, making at 

 the same time a sound like a pufi' from a pair of bellows." Mr. Blanfoid just 

 quoted, also states that the Afghan hedgehog feeds on the slugs and snails so 

 connnon in the fields round Kandahar, as well as worms, insects, and lizards. It 

 hides during the day in holes ; and hibernates from tlu; end of October or beginning 

 of November till February. 



If we know but little of the habits of the Asiatic hedrrehoo-s, this 

 African Species. ,,,,.,. ... f^ ;-. > 



lack 01 information is still more marked with respect to those of 



Africa, where some species are found in the Cape district, and others in the regions 



to the north of the Sahara (£". algiriis), and in Egypt, as well as on the West Coast. 



One of these {E. alhiventris) is peculiar in having lost the inner toe of the hind 



foot ; although its claw has been found on one foot of an adult female from Lagos, 



as well as on both feet of young specimens from the same locality. 



,. ^ „ Fossil hedgehogs are met with in the Tertiary rocks of Europe 



Extmct Species. j. , , , , • . , 



as tar back as the early portion of the Miocene period. Some of the 



extinct hedgehogs belonged to the existing genus Erinaceus ; and one of them 



{E. ctiningensis), from the middle Tertiary fresh-water limestones of Baden, 



appeai-s to be allied to the Algerian hedgehog, being totally different in the 



structure of its teeth from the common European species. Others are, however, 



distinguished by having a complete bony roof to the palate, and these form a 



distinct genus, which may be allied in this respect to the gymnuras. 



The Gymxuras. 

 Genus Gymnura. 



The gymnuras, which are not unlike large rough-haired shrews, take the jDlace 

 of the hedgehogs in Burma and the Malayan region. Although closely allied to 

 the hedgehogs in the structure of their teeth and other details of their anatomy, 



VOL. I. — 21 



