360 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
Tliis animal occurs abundantly not only in Madagascar, but also in the small islands of Nossi-falie, 
Hossi-be, and St. Marie, and it has been introduced into Mayotte, Reunion, and the Mauritius. It 
passes one-half of the year in a state of torpidity, and this not in the hot season, as has been supposed, 
but in the colder part of the year. About May or J une the Tanrees dig themselves holes, in which 
they sleep until December, with their heads comfortably tucked away between the hind legs. Their 
burrows arc generally betrayed by the presence of a small heap of earth or moss thrown up at the 
entrance, and as the animals are at this time very fat, and regarded as great delicacies by the natives 
of Madagascar and the Creoles of Reunion, they are then pursued with great avidity. Their flesh is 
said by some people to be preferable to Sucking-pig • but others complain that it has a musky 
flavour. In Madagascar the inhabitants hunt the Tanrees with Dogs trained expressly for the 
purpose. 
The number destroyed for food seems to be very great ; but the fecundity of the animal is such as 
to compensate even for this violent persecution. The female is said to produce from twelve to sixteen 
young at a birth, and she is described as taking the greatest care of her progeny. As soon as the 
young Tanrees can run about, she takes them with her in search of food, and will then defend them 
bravely against every danger, allowing herself to be killed rather than be separated from her family. 
The Tanrees — or Tangues, as they are called by M. Pollen — live chiefly in the mountains, in 
places covered with mosses, ferns, and bushes. Their food consists principally of earthworms, which they 
rout out by means of their feet and pointed snouts, using the latter after the fashion of a Pig. Insects 
also form a part of their diet; and, like the Hedgehog, they are said to feed upon certain fruits and roots. 
In captivity they will eat raw meat, and are also said to be fond of bananas. Their habits are 
nocturnal ; they sleep nearly all the day, and come forth in full activity only at night. 
Several other supposed species of this genus have been described, but only one of them appears to 
be really distinct, namely, the Streaked Tanrec ( C . se/nispmosiis ), which is described as about the size of 
a Mole, and streaked with black and yellow. It also inhabits Madagascar. It forms the genus 
Ilemicentetes of Professor Mivart. 
THE TENDRAC.* 
An animal much more like a Hedgehog than the preceding, having the body covered with spines 
almost as formidable as those of the Common Hedgehog, and also possessing the power of rolling itself 
into a ball, is the Tendrac of Madagascar (its figure will be seen in Plate 11). It has been formed 
into a separate genus (Uric ulus), distinguished by the above peculiarities, by the presence of only two 
pairs of incisor teeth in each jaw, by its canine teeth possessing two roots and a second small cusp to 
the crown, and by its possession of a short tail like that of the Hedgehog. The total number of teeth 
is thirtv-six. The Tendrac is about one-third less than our Common Hedgehog, which it closely re- 
sembles in appearance, and in the form of its muzzle, ears, tail, and feet. Its general tint is blackish, 
its spines being black, with the tips white or reddish. In its habits it resembles the Tanrec. 
Telfair’s Tendrac ( Echinops Telfawi) is another little Hedgehog-like inhabitant of Madagascar, 
where, according to Mr. Telfair, its discoverer, it goes by the native name of Sokinah (its figure will 
be seen in Plate 11). In its general characters it closely resembles Ericulus , but has only two 
premolars on each side in each jaw, and the two intermediate upper incisors are much longer than the 
others. It is the only known species of its genus. Its length is about five inches ; it has a short 
pointed snout, a very short tail, and ears of moderate size, and rounded ; its colour above is brownish, 
and beneath dingy white, and the upper surface is thickly covered with sharp spines, which are 
whitish at the base, and chestnut brown at the tips. All the feet are five-toed. 
THE RICE TENDRAC.f 
In 1870, M. Grandidier described a small Tendrac which he had obtained at Ankaye and 
Antsianak in Madagascar, and which he says inflicts enormous injury upon the rice-crops, by 
burrowing in the earth, and rooting up the young plants. The native name, “ valavou fontsi,” is said 
* Ericulus spinosus, 
t Oryzorictes hova. 
