164 



and in modifications of structure, adapting them to an arboreal, rather 

 than to a terrestrial life. 



The molars are Jiy ; body more or less armed with spines. Three of 

 the New World genera are South American ; the fourth, /irelhizon. is 

 found north of Mexico. 



Gends Erethizon p. Cuvier. 



Etymology : Erethizo — to irritate. 

 Hystrix, in part of early authors. 

 Erethizon, P. Cuvier, Mem. du Mus , ix, 1822. 

 Echinoprocta, Gray, Proc. Zool. Sob. Lond., 1865, 321. 



Toes four in front and five behind, all armed with strong, curved 

 claws. Tail short, thick, depressed, non-prehensile; covered above, at the 

 base, with stiff hairs and spines, and on sides, at apex ; and beneath, 

 with thick, rigid bristles. Size large. Limbs short and strong. 



The genus Erethizon is represented by a single species, divisible into 

 two geographical varieties — the Canada Porcupine, E. dorsatus var. dor- 

 satios, and the Western Porcupine, var. epixanthus. 



Erethizon dorsatus (Linn.) P. Cuvier. 



Var. dorsatus. 



Canada Porcdwne. 



1768. Hystrix dorsata, Linn., Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, 1758, 57, ed. xii, i, 1766, 

 76.— Porster, Phil. Trans., Ixii, 1772, 374.— Erxleben, Syst. Reg. 

 Anim., 1777, 345.— Gmelin, Syst. Nat., i, 1784, 119.— Schreber, 

 Siiugt., iv, 1792, 605, pi. clxix.- Shaw, Gen. Zool., ii, 1801, 13, 

 pi. cxxv — Kuhl, Beitrage zur Zoologie, 1820, 70. — Desmarest, 

 Mam , 1822, 345. — J. Sabine, Pranklin's Journey to the Polar 

 Sea, 1823, 664.— Cozzens, Ann. N. Y. Lye. Nat. Hist., i, 1823, 191. 

 — Harlan, Fauna Amer., 1825, ISO. — Godman, Amer. Nat. Hist., 

 ii, 1826, 50.— Griffith's Cuvier, iii, 1827, 206; v, 1827, 263.— 

 Fischer, Synop. Mam., 1829, 368.— Emmons, Quad. Ma?s., 1840, 

 71.— Thompson, Hist. Vermont, 1842, 47.— Aud. & Bach., i, 1843, 

 277, pi. xxvi. 



1731. Hystrix pilosus americanus, Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carolina, i, 1731, xxx. 



1756. Hystrix hudsonis, Brisson, R6gn. Anim., Quad., 1756, 128. 



1842. Hystrix hudsonius, DeKay, New York Zool., i, 1842, 27, pi. xxv, fig. 

 1 (animal), pi. viii, figs. 2, a, b, c (skull). 



1835. Erethizon dorsatus, P. Cuvier, M6m. du Mus., ix, 423, pL xx, figs. 1, 

 2, 8 (skull and molar). — Brandt, M6m. Acad. St, Petersbourg, 

 1835, 387.— Waterhouse, Nat. Hist. Mam., ii, 1858, 438.— Giebel, 

 Sauget., 1855,478. — Wagner, Suppl. Schreber's Sauget.,iv, 1844, 



