277 



GENUS HYSTRIX.— Linn. 



DENTAL FORMULA. 



Incisive •= ; Canine t— ; ; Molar - — - = 20. 



£ — 4 — 4 



Superior incisors, on the anterior portion, smooth, cuneiform at their 

 extremity ; inferior incisors, strong and compressed. 



Molars, compound, with flat cro^wns, variously modified by plates of 

 enamel, between which are depressed intervals. 



Head, strong ; snout, thick and tumid ; ears, short and round ; tongue, 

 bristled with spiny scales ; fore-feet, four-toed ; hind-feet, five-toed ; all 

 the toes armed with powerful nails. 



Spines on the body, sometimes intermixed with hair : tail, moderately 

 long, in some species of the genus, prehensile. 



Herbivorous, fesding principally on grain, fruits, roots, and the bark of 

 trees — dig holes in the earth, or nestle in the hollows of trees. 



The generic name is derived from the Greek word, uai-fi^, (hustrix,) a 

 porcupine — Cs, (hus,) a hog, and «/>i|, (thrix,) a bristle. 



There are two species in North, and three in South America, one in 

 Southern Europe, one in Africa, and one in India. 



HYSTRIX DORSATA.— Linn. 



Canada Poecvpine. 

 PLATE XXXVI.— Male. 4-5ths natural size. 



H. spinus brevibus, vellere sublatentibus ; sine jubea ; capite et collo 

 setis longis vestitis ; colore inter fulvum et nigrum variante. 



CHARACTERS. 



Spines, short, partially concealed by long hair ; no mane ; long bristles 

 on the head and neck ; colour, varying between light-brown and black. 



