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FA M I LY H Y S T R I C I D.E . 

 GENUS H Y S T R 1 X . 



HYSTRIX CRASSISPINIS. 



Hysti'ix crassispinis^ Gunther. P.Z.S. 1876. p. 736, 

 plate Ixx. 



This porcupine, which belongs to the same section as 



//. javanica and the allied species, is distinouished from all 



by the great size and length of the quills, all ot which moreover 



f 'it"/L- ^'*^ more or less distinctly grooved above, or at least provided 



v* s^, ic> U? with ridges. It is conspicuously smaller than H. javanica^ but 



^ agrees with it in being covered everywhere with stiff spines, 



except on the foremost part of the head and abdomen. The 



largest quills are, in the middle, about twice as thick as an 



incisor. The prevailing hue of the head and fore part of the 



body is a greyish brown ; but towards the large quills is white; 



the apical half black, with while tij). vSlcnder quills white 



with black subcentral ring. Legs blackish. 



This is the most common species of porcupine in Borneo 

 and is known to the natives of Sarawak as 'Landak.' A 

 curious soft concretion is found in the body of this animal 

 and greatly prized by the Chinese as a medicine; the stone is 

 called ' goliga landak.' The species lives in cavities under the 

 roots of trees, and affords good sport when hunted with dogs, 

 they can run at a great pace rattling the curious caudal quills 

 as they rush through the forest. These animals, like the 

 rhinoceros, feed upon the poisonous tuba root, which is almost 

 c^^rtain death to any of the other animals in the Bornean jungle. 

 y, in. lin. 



Length of body from tip of nose to root of tail - 17 o 



Length of nose to ear - - - - 3 6 



Length of tail with terminal quills - -60 



Length of fore foot - - - -20 



Length of hind foot - - - -30 



I^ength of one of the largest quills - -70 



Length of one of the hollow caudal quills - 6 o ^^ 



This porcupine is found on the mountains up to 2000 ft., 

 and is common in the low country. 



Hab. Baram River (C. Hose). Sarawak (A. lu'crett). 

 Rijang River (H. B. Low). Mount Dulit (C. Hose). 



HYSTRIX MULLERI. 



Hvstrix miillcri\ Jent., notes from the Leyden museum. 



Thisporcupineis like//i'j'//'/A" crassispiiiis, but distinguished 

 from it by its black belly and somewhat difterent caudal quills. 

 The skulls also differ, but the size of the animals are much the 

 same. 



