ntre; the thick quills basally white, the rest black, mostly with
a white tip; a distinct white demi-collar; spines of lumbar region
white, as are those of tail and rattle; muzzle less hirsute than in
_leucura_."

SIZE.--Head and body, 28 inches; tail, 8 inches.

There is occasionally a variety to be found of this species with
orange-coloured quills, or rather the orange hue is assumed at times.
Jerdon mentions the fact that Sclater describes his _H. Malabarica_
as having certain orange-coloured quills in place of white, and also
that Blyth considered the two species identical. He also states that
Mr. Day procured specimens of the orange porcupine from the Ghats
of Cochin and Travancore, and that they were considered more delicate
eating by the native sportsmen, who aver that they can distinguish
the two kinds by the smell from their burrows; but he was not
apparently aware at the time that a specimen of _H. Malabarica_ with
orange quills in the Zoological Gardens in London moulted, and the
red quills were replaced by the ordinary black and white ones of the
common Indian kind. Dr. Sclater afterwards (_see_ 'P. Z. S.' 1871,
p. 234) came to the conclusion that _H. Malabarica_ was synonymous
with _H. leucura_.

NO. 405. HYSTRIX (ACANTHION) LONGICAUDA.
_The Crestless Porcupine_ (_Jerdon's No. 206_).

NATIVE NAMES.--_Anchotia-sahi_ or _Anchotia-dumsi_ in Nepal;
_Sathung_, Lepcha; _O'--e_ of the Limbus (_Hodgson_). (N.B.--The
_ch_ must not be pronounced as _k_, but as _ch_ in church.) _Anchotia_
means crestless, the crested porcupine being called _Chotia-dumsi_.

HABITAT.--Nepal and Sikim, and on through Burmah to the Malayan
peninsula, where it was first discovered.

DESCRIPTION.--Distinguished from the other species "by its inferior
size, total absence of crest on its head, neck, and shoulders, by
its longer tail, by the white collar of the neck being evanescent;
and lastly by the inferior size and smaller quantity of the spines
or quills."--_Hodgson_.

It is covered with black spinous bristles from two to three inches
long, shortest on the head and limbs. The large quills of the back
and croup are from seven to twelve inches long, mostly with one
central black ring.

SIZE.--Head and body, 24 inches; tail, 4, or with the quills, 5-1/2
inches.

This is Hodgson's _H. alophus_, which is, I think, a more appropriate
name than the one given, for its tail is not so very long in proportion.
Hodgson says of it: "The