848 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



were malformed, their distal ends tapering to a point instead of ending in an 

 articular knob. Between the ends of these phalanges and the nails were a 

 number of small oval pieces of bone about the size of rice grains which 

 evidently represented the distal phalanges. The metacarpals and meta- 

 tarsals as well as all other bones were normal. 



The deformity of the feet is evidently due to a congenital peculiarity 

 closely resembling the condition known as brachydactyly in Man. Congeni- 

 tal absence of finger bones occurs rarely in Man, but it is known to be 

 heritable in a definite manner. Drinkwater has published an account of an 

 English family in which this peculiarity could be traced through seven 

 generations. The history of this deformed Hycena is very interesting. 

 Mr. Simcox who sent the specimens makes a special note of the fact that 

 the animal was as active as any other of its kind in spite of its deformity. 

 He mentions specially that he was asked by the villagers to kill the 

 animal in order to put an end to its depredations. According to the selec- 

 tion theory a species is not only brought into being by natural selection 

 but after its arrival is kept constant by the same means ; that is to say, it 

 is believed that any individuals which differ appreciably from the type of 

 the species must die out because they are less suited to the circumstances 

 of life than their fellows. But in the case of this hysena we have an 

 example of an animal which differed very widely from the type and yet 

 seemed to be at no conspicuous disadvantage. We should naturally expect 

 that such an animal would be inactive and able to obtain its food only with 

 difficulty. The history however shows that it met its death because of its 

 activity and boldness. 



R. B. LLOYD, Capt., i.m.s. 



Calcutta, September 1910. 



No. II.— PORCUPINES (HYSTRIX LEUCURA) FOUND 

 IN THE HILLS. 



The question has been asked " are Porcupines found in the Hills?" In 

 my own small place, 55 miles from Simla towards the interior, they are 

 quite common. In 1908 I was at " Shongtong," some 140 miles beyond 

 Simla, when the villagers remarked to me that up till lately they had 

 never seen a Porcupine, but that now they were becoming common. 



Looking up the copy of the Society's Journal I find the question raised 

 was with regard to Hedgehogs and not Porcupines. I would ask the 

 editors to let this note stay as it is written, because Porcupines are quite 

 new invaders of the far interior. This on the authority of the natives 

 themselves. 



C. E. FEND ALL. 

 Serbian P. O., Bussahir State, Simla District, August 1910. 





