MAMMAL SURVEY OF INDIA. 409 



thrown up and the entrances are frequently strewn with bones and 

 dropped Sambur or Ohital horns which are much gnawed by the Porcu- 

 pines. In one case I found a Porcupine's hole in a perpendicular bank 

 and in order to get to the upper level more easily the animals had dug 

 a trench, the extraordinary part about it was that the channel had been 

 dug so clean and square as to give the idea that spades had been used 

 for the purpose, other pathways had been cut, but with less precision. 

 I find Porcupines are easily taken in the ordinary Dorset or Gin traps 

 but the traps I was using, being rather small, the full grown Porcupines 

 always got away by either bending the trap jaws or by merely pulling 

 the foot out leaving behind a toe and a good deal of skin which appears 

 to slide easily from the foot ; in one case the entire foot was left in the trap. 

 Only well padded jaws will hold the young, the skin and bones are so 

 soft that a toothed trap cuts right through. I found a path well trodden 

 by Porcupines leading to the river so dug a pit near the water and 

 watched for several nights. The moon was young and having seen nothing 

 I had to return to camp about mid-night, only to find on the following 

 mornings that Porcupines had been to drink water after I had left. Later 

 on I sat up all night and found they came to the water about 3-30 to 

 4 a.m. but the moon having gone down they were very diflicult to see. 

 I could hear one rattling his quills and could just make him out with 

 spines erect looking like a great prickly ball and surrounded by a family 

 of young pigs. I tried a shot with surprising results for besides slaying 

 the Porcupine I must have peppered several young pigs for with terrific 

 squeals they rushed about cannoning violently into each other and with 

 the old boar and sow, making no attempt at first to clear oft'. I did not 

 feel particularly comfortable in my hollow 20 yards away. I have no 

 doubt the Porcupine was responsible for some of the noise because I have 

 since found that when hit he squeals very much like a pig. The Shikari 

 here asserts that the hollow quills in the tail are used for carrying water 

 to the young. — C. A. C] 



Lepus simcoxi. Wrought. 



T/ie Khandesh Hare. 



1912. Lepus simcoxi, Wroughton. Journal, B. N. H. S., supra p. 338. 

 $ 51. Fardapur, E. Khandesh. 

 d 98 ; 9 99 (type). Edalabad, E. Khandesh. 

 2 142 ; J 137. Ghodasgaum, E. Khandesh. 

 This Hare difters markedly in appearance from any other Indian Hare. 

 The grey nape so different from the black of nigricolls and the fulvous of 

 ruficaudatus catches the eye at once. The blue black scvit too is in strong 

 contrast to the brown of the other two species. 



The type No. 99 has been presented to the National Collection. 



