170 GILT-TAILED DORMOUSE. 



rough to the touch : they seem to arise from small 

 transparent sheaths-, and their conformation is 

 highly singular, each hair^ or rather quill, being 

 cylindric and very small near the body, growing 

 flat towards the middle part, where it is half a 

 line broad ; and thence gradually diminishing to 

 a very fine point : along the middle runs a chan- 

 nel or gutter, which if examined with a glass^ ap- 

 pears yellow, while the sides, which are elevated, 

 are of a brown colour, and thus a sort of double 

 reflexion of light takes place, causing the pur» 

 plish tinge above mentioned : these singular hairs 

 or quills become gradually smaller as they ap- 

 proach the sides of the body, and quite disappear 

 towards the abdomen. It seems to be an animal 

 formed for climbing trees, and from the descrip- 

 tion given above it will appear that Mr. Schre- 

 ber's opinion is just, and that it should in reality 

 be considered, notwithstanding it diminutive size, 

 as a species of Porcupine. Its length, from nose 

 to tail, is five inches, and of the tail six inches 

 and nine lines. 



