HYSTRIX. 



443 



portion of premaxillary not differing greatly from a nasal in 

 breadth. Mammae 6, pectoral, laterally placed. 



Coheir blackish brown, with the exception of the tips of the quills 

 on the cheeks and on a band across the throat (forming a collar), the 

 terminal one fifth to one half, and one, two, or three narro\A' rings 

 on the long dorsal quills, and all the spines and hollow quills of 

 the tail, which are white. A few of the c]-est-bristles also are 

 tipped with white or whitish in some individuals. The quills 

 around the base of the tail ai'e in great part white, and there is 

 often a mesial line of white spines on the lower back. In some 

 specimens the caudal spines and the tips and rings on the dorsal 

 quills are partly orange-red instead of white. 



Dimensions. Head and body 28 to 32 inches, tail 3 or 4, with 

 spines 7 or 8, hind foot from heel 3*75 ; basal length of adult 

 skull 5-5, zygomatic breadth 3-2. Weight 25 to 30 lbs. 



Distribution. Throughout India and Ceylon, extending into the 

 lower spurs of the Eastern Himalayas and to the west^^"ard far 

 into the mountains, this species being found in Kashmir. A 

 closely allied form, probably merely a variety *, extends throughout 

 Western Asia to the Caspian and Black Sea. H. leucura has not 

 been recorded east of the Bay of Bengal. 



Habits. During the day the Indian porcupine remains in caves 

 amongst rocks, or in burrows made by itself in hillsides, river- 

 banks, bunds of tanks, &c. It has a predilection for rocky hills, 

 and it is frequently gregarioas. It rarely leaves its burrow till 

 after sunset and generally returns thereto before sunrise. From 

 being so thoroughly nocturnal, this, one of the commonest wild 

 animals of India, is seldom seem. It feeds on vegetables, princi- 

 pally on roots, and is destructive to crops, especially to garden 

 produce (peas, potatoes, onions, carrots, &c.), and to fruit, and is 

 said to be very dainty and particular in its choice of food. 



When irritated or alarmed porcupines utter a grunting souud 

 and erect their spines with a peculiar rattling noise, produced, 

 apparently, by the hollow tail-quills. When attacked by dogs or 

 other animals, they charge backwards and inflict severe wounds with 

 the rigid spines of their hind quarters. In confinement porcupines 

 often gnaw, with their powerful teeth, through Avooden cases or 

 cages. They are fond of gnawing bones, and I have seen an 

 elephant's tusk, found in the forest, deeply scored by their 

 incisors. The flesh of the porcupine is well known to be excellent 

 eating. From two to four young are produced at a birth, and are 

 born with their eyes open and the body covered with short soft 

 spines. 



* This is often called H. cristata, L. (as it was by myself iu ' Eastern Persia, 

 ii, p. 80). Waterhouse, however, ' Mammalia,' ii, p. 148, showed that the 

 Italian and North African species must retain the Linnaian title. In true 

 H. cristata the skull is very tumid, the nasals being enormous, more than o 

 times the length of the frontals, miich wider than the premaxillaries, and 

 having together an oval eonlour. 



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