THE SLOTH 



263 



and a long tail. It measures about three and a half 

 feet from the root of the tail to the end of the snout ; 

 the tail is a foot and three-quarters long, and is very 

 thick at the base, but tapering towards the point. There 

 are four toes to each fore-foot and five to each hind-foot, 

 all provided with large strong claws, flattened horizon- 

 tally and hollowed out underneath. The tongue is thick 

 and fleshy, and much less vermiform than that of the 

 ant-eater and pangolins ; but the spittle-glands are still, 



FIG. 73. 



TH AARD VARK, 



as in them, largely developed. It used to be an extremely 

 common animal in South Africa, though from its noc- 

 turnal habits and timidity it was never frequently seen. 

 It feeds on white ants almost exclusively, so that when 

 these insects are very abundant, the presence of an 

 aard-vark may be anticipated. 



The termites raise mounds of an elliptical figure to 

 the height of three or four feet above the surface of the 

 ground ; and so numerous are these gigantic ant-hills in 

 some part of South Africa, that they may be seen to 



