in captivity in lower bengal. 123 



Length of life in captivity. 

 Over eight years. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — The cage for porcupines should be built of iron and 

 brick only, the floor and walls up to about 2 feet, being thickly 

 plastered with cement and lime to resist their formidable teeth ; a grotto 

 to afford concealment during the day should be provided; the brush- 

 tailed porcupines are less given to gnawing, and may therefore be 

 safely accommodated in a lighter cage. Strong lights should be avoided. 

 Keep only well-matched pairs together, otherwise they fight to death. 



Food. — Grain, roots and grass. 



Breeding. — The short-spined porcupines have bred and reared their 

 young several times. The young are born with their eyes open, and their 

 spines are very soft, and lie close to the body. Generally there are only 

 two young at a birth, and there is only one brood in a year. The males 

 sometimes devour the young before they are many hours old, and it is 

 therefore better to separate them. 



Transport. — For such a destructive animal, the travelling cage should 

 be made of iron. If wood is used, it should be thoroughly lined with 

 zinc. 



Nothing particular is known about their ailments. 



Observations on the habits of Porcupines. 



Though perfectly nocturnal in their wild state, those that have for 

 some time lived in captivity behave like any other diurnal animal, and 

 feed and drink during the day. They are as a rule more lively towards 

 the evening. Porcupines are much given to fighting among themselves, 

 and animals defaced by wounds inflicted upon one another are not 

 uncommon. They rush upon each other sideways and backwards with 

 quills erect and rattling, and adopt the same tactics towards other 

 assailants also. The brush-tailed porcupines are milder in disposition, and 

 less given to gnawing and fighting. A very peculiar habit of circling 

 round and round a given space was constantly observed in some of those 

 exhibited in this garden. 



(154) THE VISOACHA. 



(LAGOSTOMUS TRICHODACTYLUS— Brookes.) 



Description. — It has the general appearance of a hare, but of a much 

 heavier build, with proportionally heavier head ; tail long and tufted ; 

 fur soft and downy, and of a mottled grey colour above and yellowish 

 white beneath ; a white band crosses the muzzle and runs backwards 

 to each eye ; length about 18 inches. 



Hab. — South America. 



Length of life in captivity. 

 Two years and ten months. 



