470 MALACCA HEDGEHOG. 
severe adherence to systematic arrangement from 
the teeth,, could justify its being placed in the 
present genus ; yet even this particular seems 
not yet distinctly known, the animal being rarely 
imported into Europe. The particular size is 
not mentioned by Seba, but it appears to be a 
large species, since the length of its quills is 
said to be from an inch to a foot and half, 
on different parts of the animal. It is therefore 
probably about the size of the common porcu- 
pine, and they are variegated in a similar man- 
ner ; the ears are large and pendulous ; and 
there is no crest or ruff of longer bristles than 
the rest on the back of the head, as in the common 
porcupine. 
This is said to be the animal from which is 
taken the particular Bezoar, called Piedra del 
Porco, the Lapis Hystricis, Bezoar Hystricis, 
and Lapis Porcinus, of the old Materia Medic a, 
so long and so highly extolled on account oi 
its supposed virtues; which were such, according' 
to some authors, as to produce the most won- 
derful and salutary effects in fevers, and various 
other disorders of a malignant nature. 
In order to experience the effect of this won- 
derful concrete, which is commonly about the 
size of a small walnut, round, smooth, and of 
a reddish brown colour, nothing , more war ne- 
cessary than to infuse it for some minutes in a 
glass of wine, water, or ether liquor, which was, 
by this method, impregnated with all its virtues, 
and administered to the patient. The truth is, 
that being a biliary concretion, found in the gall- 
bladder, it is intensely bitter, and being salutary 
in water, impregnates the fluid with its bitterness, 
and with its supposed aperient, stomachic, and alcxi- 
phanme virtues. 
