01SSC1UPTJ0N. 



parts of its body, or when attacked by dogs, it 

 rolls, like tlii" IkmIot-Iioo-, into a ppliericfil form, 

 the prickly coat I'oniihig a good defence against 

 the canine race, who have a decided aversion to 

 filkV^ illelt^ no9m pikked. When atttckM, {4 

 has bccu known to Inirrow to a great depth in n 

 sin'pri>in<;' sliort ]H'ri<Hl of tinir. I do not tliii^k 

 tliat citlicr tliis iiniiual, from its coat not (tearing 

 caresses, or the hirge lizaril, called Guana, from 



repulse fem, "vlll erreiF h& admi^d it^ 

 vmB&sy of favourite anitnak by the ladies of ihe 

 colony. 



The EchMna is eaten hy the natives, wlio de- 

 clare it to be cobbong budgerec"' (very good,) 



" mif Wk^ pig* tety f^t**^ EttjJ^>#i3i» who isw 

 eaten <jl i^kim, conHrm M& iSipMm^ and t3!bs@nr^ 

 that they taste similar to a sncking pig. This 

 animal, wln-n scratching, or rather cleaning- 

 its'^} uses only the hind claws, lying in different 



po&itiou«i m as to eaaaMb i* tos tmih |»»fi of 

 tke h&^f tc» be opei^al^ tipodn. Tlie ^Euml ia 



pentadactylc, the two first claws of the hind feet 

 beina" b>ni«', the ^ir^t tlie lonsjest ; tliat of tln^ 2:reat 

 toe the shortest : they seem to have the power of 

 ^Brecting tlieir spines, and, rolling themddlvcs intft 

 a sp)ia3i<ial Ibrnt, making m e^reeDent d^fen^ 

 against many of their enemies. 



I consider there are two species of this gentis 



