11 



BRUSH-TAILED PORCUPINE. 



Hystrix Fasciculata. H. palmis tetmdactylis, plant is pet adacty^ 

 lis, Cauda mediocri apice setis complanatisfascicnlato. 



Porcupine with tetradactylous fore-feet, pentadactylous hind- 

 feet, and tail terminated by a tuft of flattened bristles. 



Le Porc-epic de Malaca. Buff, suppl. 7. p. 30s.pl. 77. 



This animal^ which is described and figured 

 in the 7th supplemental volume of the Count de 

 BufFon's History of Quadrupeds, is a native of 

 Malacca. It differs, according to that author, 

 from the Common Porcupine in several particu- 

 lars, and especially in the form and length of its 

 tail, which is naked, scaly, about a third of the 

 length of the body, and terminated by a tuft 

 of long flat hairs, or rather small white laminse, 

 resembling strips of parchment. The body mea- 

 sures fifteen or sixteen inches, and is consequently 

 less than that of the European Porcupine ; the 

 head also is longer in proportion, and the snout, 

 which is covered with a black skin, is furnished 

 with whiskers of five or six inches in length : the 

 eyes are small and black : the ears smooth, round, 

 and naked : there are four toes, united by a com- 

 mon membrane, on the fore feet, with only a 

 tubercle in place of a fifth toe : the hind feet have 

 five toes, united in a similar manner by a mem- 

 brane somewhat smaller than that of the fore 

 feet : the legs are covered with blackish hair : 

 the flanks and upper parts of the body are whitish, 

 and covered with spines shorter than those of the 



