7 



PREHENSILE PORCUPINE. 



Hystrix Prehensllis. //. pedibus tetradactylisy cauda dongata 



prehensili seminuda, Lin. Syst. Nat, p. 76. 

 Short-spined Porcupine, with tetradactylous feet_, and long half* 



naked prehensile tail. 

 Hystrix cauda longissima tenui, medietate extrema aculeorum 



experte, Briss. Quadr.p. 129. 

 Le Coendou a longue queue. Bvff. suppJ. 7. p. 30^. pL 78. 

 Erasilian porcupine. Fennant Quadr. 2. p. 124. 



This is an American species, and is found in 

 many of the hotter parts of that continent ; par- 

 ticularly in Brasil, ^vhere it inhabits woods, and 

 climbs trees; clinging occasionally to the branches 

 by its tail, in the manner of some of the Opos- 

 sums and Monkies. It is said to feed not only 

 on fruits of various kinds^ but also on birds. It 

 sleeps during the greater part of the day, con- 

 cealing itself in the hollows of trees, or beneath 

 their roots. Its voice, according to Marcgrave, 

 resembles the grunting of a pig. Its general 

 length is about a foot^ and the tail about eighteen 

 inches. The whole animal, except on the belly 

 and insides of the limbs, is covered with short, 

 strong, and very sharp spines, of which the long- 

 est measure three inches, and are white, barred 

 towards the points with black. The <:olour of 

 the hair with which the under parts are covered 

 is a dusky brown. The head is small ; the nose 

 extremely blunt ; and the teeth very large and 

 strong : the ears short, moderately large, and round- 

 ed ; the feet have four toes each^ with strong claws. 



