208 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



were observed to be nocturnal, and fed on fruits in pre- 

 ference to nuts. 



It is an inhabitant of India, and the Peninsula of Ma- 

 lacca. 



We are not able to add any thing to the short notice of 

 the Baron, at p. 88 of this volume, on the species of Hys- 

 trix Macroura, which appears to be allied to this. 



The Prehensile-tailed Porcupine, or Couendou{Hyst. pre- 

 hensilis, Lin.) is as we have seen, included in the general 

 genus Hystrixby the Baron. By the amateurs of generic di- 

 visions, two species of the American prehensile-tailed Por- 

 cupine have been pointed out, and both have been separated 

 into a distinct genus, and also into a subgenus of Hystrix, 

 by the prehensile character of the tail. The synonima are 

 stated in the Table, by which it will be seen, that the species 

 described by Buffon is presumed to be distinct from that of 

 Herman and of D'Azara, who has given us some account of 

 the manners and habits of the animal. The description of 

 Buffon's species, with the habits of that of D'Azara, shall be 

 abridged. Their specific descriptions are too nearly allied 

 to admit of any wide difference in their modes of life. 



The nose of the Couendou, like that of the Common Por- 

 cupine, is thick and obtuse, and covered with brownish 

 hairs ; the ears are naked, covered only with some short 

 spines on their edge ; the face is furnished with long black 

 whiskers : the body is covered with spines upwards of two 

 inches long on the back, one inch and a half on the fore- 

 legs, and not half that length on those behind, each spine 

 being white at the base and at the point, and black in the 

 middle ; one half the tail is also covered with spines ; the 

 tail itself is long, tapering, and pointed, blackish, and 

 covered with scales from the the middle to the point ; the 

 under part of the tail, from the point to the termination 

 of the spines, has a few hairs of a bright brown colour, 

 the rest being furnished with scales, as is the whole upper 



