HXSTIIIX LEUCTJEA. 219 



14.—//. zeylanensis, Blyth. — Sahi, Sayal, Sarsel, H., in various parts of 

 tho country. — Saj7-u, Bengal. — Saori in Gujrat. — Salendra, Mahr. of the 

 Ghats, Yed, Can. — Yeddu pandi, Tel. — Bumsi, in Nepal. — Ho-igu, of 

 Gonds. 



The Indian Porcupine. 



Descr. — Muzzle clad with short stiff bristly hairs, and a few white 

 spines on the face ; spines on tlie throat short, grooved, some with white 

 points forming a demi-collar; crest full, long, chiefly of black bristles, 

 a few of them only with long white points ; the larger quills on the back 

 black ; many annulated with white at base and middle, and some with white 

 points ; the long thin quills mostly white at tip ; the quills on the loins 

 mostly all white, the pedunculated quills of the taU yellowish-white ; some 

 of the quills of the sides and lumbar regions flat and striated ; whiskers 

 long black, a few tipped white. 



Length of one, head and body 32 inches ; tail 7. 



The Indian porcupine closely resembles the porcupine of Africa and the 

 South of Europe, but differs, according to Waterhouse, in " the quills of 

 the lumbar regions being white in leucura, and chiefly dusky in the cris- 

 tata ; and the bristles of the crest of the latter have all long white points, 

 whereas in leucura only some have white points, the rest are entirely brown. 

 The long quills of the back have the white more extended in leucura." 



This porcupine is found over a great part of India, from the lower ranges 

 of the Himalayas to the extreme south, but does not occur in lower Ben- o 

 gal, where it is replaced by the next one. It forms extensive burrows, 

 often in societies, in the sides of hUls, banks of rivers and nullahs, and 

 very often in the bunds of tanks, and in old mud walls, &c., &c. In some 

 parts of the country they are very destructive to various crops, potatoes, 

 carrots, and other vegetables. They never issue forth tUl after dark, but 

 now and then one will be found returning to his lair in daylight. Dogs 

 take up the scent of the porcupine very keenly, and on the Neelgherries 

 I have killed many by the aid of dogs, tracking them to their dens. 

 They charge backwards at their foes, erecting their spines at the same 

 time, and dog^ generally get seriously injured by their strong spines 

 which are sometimes driven deeply into the assailant. The porcupine is 

 not bad eating, the meat, which is white, tasting something between pork 

 and veal. 



