106 Dr. A. Gunther on a new Porcupine 



Again, with reference to my statement, that in the sponges 

 the excretory canal-system commences in the ampullaceous 

 sacs (Wimperkorbe) (Ann. 1878, vol. ii. p. 322), I have now 

 to modify this assertion ; for my figure of the pore-area in Grey- 

 ella cyathophora directly opening into an excretory canal 

 (Ann. 1869, vol. iv. pp. 192, 193, pi. viii. fig. 5, &c), con- 

 firmed by that of Axos spinipoculum (ib. 1879, vol. iii. 

 p. 290, pi. xxv. fig. 4, &c), shows at least that a commence- 

 ment in the ampullaceous sacs is not always the case, and 

 presents quite a new feature in the offices of the excretory 

 canals of sponges ; although it does not alter the fact that 

 the system is partly excretory in the sponge, while the stellate 

 venation often appears loithout any aperture at all (Rosen, 

 Taf. xi. fig. 7), as the hydrophyton or proliferous organ in 

 Stromatopora. 



Since the above was written I have seen C. F. Roemer's 

 ' Rheinische Uebergangsgebirge,' 1844, in which, at p. 57, he 

 observes that Caunopora placenta, Phillips, is " nichts An- 

 deres, als Stromatopora polymorphs von Syringoporen durch- 

 wachsen," and, further, that the specimens from the Eifel, 

 the Silurian outliers of Mark Brandenburg and Silesia, toge- 

 ther with those of the Devonian Limestone are " undistin- 

 guishable." 



XI. — Description of a new Sp>ecies of Porcupine from the 

 Philippine Islands. By Dr. A. Gunther, F.R.S. 



Before Mr. Everett left the Philippine Islands he obtained 

 at Puerto Princesa, in the island of Paragua, a specimen of a 

 small kind of Porcupine, which evidently is undescribed. It 

 is distinguished at the first glance by its small size and by 

 the shortness of its tail. In many respects it resembles 

 Hystrix crassispinis from Borneo, but is considerably smaller 

 and the quills are less thick. The specimens sent by Mr. 

 Everett consist of the skin of a female which is nearly full- 

 grown, and of the perfect skeleton of a very old male. The 

 species may be called 



Hystrix pumila. 



All the upper and lateral parts of the body are densely 

 covered with flat, deeply grooved, flexible bristles of moderate 

 length. These bristles are gradually developed into spines 

 on the hinder part of the back, the shorter spines continuing 

 to be provided with a shallow groove above. The strongest 



