HYSTRIX CRISTATA. 123 



animals in his ' Zoog. Boss. As.' It is found in Italy from 

 north to south. To these countries Desmarest adds Spain 

 and Sweden. 



Division II. RODENTS IN WHICH THE CLAVICLES ARE 

 EITHER IMPERFECT OR WANTING-. 



Genus HTSTEIX. 



Teeth. — Incisors, | ; molars, : rEit '> upper incisors very 

 strong, smooth in front, their edges shaped like a chisel ; 

 lower incisors strong and slightly compressed ; molars com- 

 posite, their summits flat, but presenting three or four 

 spaces surrounded by enamel. Tongue covered with prickly 

 scales ; front-feet with four toes and a rudimentary thumb ; 

 hind-feet with five toes, all with strong claws except the 

 thumb, where the claw is small and blunt. A great part 

 of the body covered with quills, or with spines of various 

 length, sometimes with hair intermixed ; tail of various 

 lengths, sometimes prehensile. 



Hystrix cristata. 



Hystrix cristata, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 555; Waterhouse, Rodentia, 



p. 448. 

 Common Porcupine, Waterhouse, I. c. 



Description. — Head long, flattened at the sides ; muzzle 

 very thick, resembling that of the Hare ; eyes small ; ears 

 wide, short, margined. The quills of the upper parts of the 

 body are very long, especially those on the lower part of the 

 back, which are 12 inches in length, striated longitudinally, 

 coloured in alternate wide rings of yellow, white, and 

 black ; on the crown of the head, and extending a short 

 distance along the back, is a crest composed of very long 

 bristles, curved gently backward ; the shoulders, limbs, and 

 under parts of the body are covered with spines ; the tail is 



g2 



