2 14 MAMMALIA. GLIRES. Porcupine. 



Inhabits Mexico and Bra'Sl, — The nofe is fliort ah'd blunt, having lcr.g white whiskers, and a bed 

 of fmall fpines on the upper lip under the nofe. The top and fides cf the head, back, and fides, the 

 hafe of the tail, and outrides of the legs and thighs are covered with very lharp fpir.es, of a white co- 

 lour, barred with black "at the ends ; thefe are near three inches long at the hinder part of the back 

 and bafe cf the tail ; they adhere clofely to the ikln, which has no hair intermixed ; as they approach 

 the belly, they become fhorter and weaker, and on the breaft and belly are converted into dark brown. 

 briftles : The feet arc of an alb colour, having each four long toes, armed with ftrong black claws, 

 and Ltj bind feet have each a large protuberance inftead of a thumb, or inner, fifth toe ; the tail is 

 eighteen inches long, {lender, and taper; the laft ten inches is almoft naked, having only a few hairs, 

 and is prebenfile; the body and head of the larger variety, from which the defcription here given was 

 taken by Mr Pennant, is about the fame length with the tail ; the fmaller variety is lefs known ; all 

 that is faid of it being that it is fmaller, and has a white head, 



Buffon confounds thefe two varieties with the following fpecies, but mentions, that in Guiana there 

 are two fpecies, probably the two varieties juft defcribed, one of which weighs from twelve to fifteen 

 French pounds, and the fmaller only about fix: They are eaten by the Negroes, who prefer their flefh 

 to that of the Paca, or Spotted Cavy ; they climb trees fiowly, and afilft themfelves with their tails, 

 living on fruits and fmall birds ; bite fometimes, but not dangcroufly ; fleep during the day ; make a 

 noife with their noftrils as if out of breath, and grunt like a Sow; roll themfelves up into a ball when 

 frightened ; and may be tamed.. 



438 3. Mexican Porcupine.— Hyfirix mexicana. 



The tail is long, and prehenfile at the end ; the hind feet have only four toes ; the 

 fpines are intermixed, and almoft hid, with downy hair, and very long briftles. 

 Penn. hift. of quad. n. 256. Syft. nat.. ed. Gmeh. i. 1 19. n. 2. 7. 



Hoitztlacuatzin, Ttlacuatzin fpinofus, Spinous OpoiTum, Hyftrix novae hifpaniae, or Porcupine 

 ©f New-Spain. Hernand. mex. 322. Nieremb. hift. nat. 154. — Porcupine, with a fhort thick tail, 

 and covered with fpines which juft appear through the fur. BrhT. quad. 127. — Coendou. Sm.. 

 Buff. vii. ~j6. pi. ccvii. 



Inhabits the mountains of Mexico. — This animal is confounded by the Count de BufFon with the 

 two varieties of the former fpecies, which, it would appear, he had never feen ; it is likewife by Dr 

 Gmelin made a third variety of the former, and, by miftake, this from Buffon is quoted as the fame 

 with the Leffer Brafilian Porcupine; but, with great propriety, Mr Pennant, who had feen a fpecimen 

 ©f the greater variety of the former fpecies, has feparated this, which, on his authority, is placed here 

 as a diftinct fpecies. The Mexican Porcupine is of a dufky colour, and the whole body is covered 

 with downy hair and very long briftles ; the fpines are varied with white and yellow bars, are three 

 inches- long, very flender, aud fcarcely apparent, except on the lower part of the tail, which is thicker 

 and fhorter than that of the former fpecies, and from the middle to the extremity is free from fpines. 

 The head and body are about eighteen inches long, and the tail nine ; but the fpecimen from which 

 Buffon defcribes was mutilated.. This fpecies lives on fruits during fummer, and is eafily tamed. 



