204 Zoological Society. 



is well able to rip oj^en the belly of its assailant ; nevertheless, I 

 should scarcely have supposed that the Ant-bear proved formidable 

 to the fiercest of American animals. 



" A young one, estimated about four weeks old, was presented to 

 me by Dom Pedro Ayres. While riding on horseback over the sa- 

 vannahs, he discovered the parent with the young, and immediately 

 gave chase. After she had kept the horse in full canter for half an 

 hour, she found herself so closely pressed that she put herself in de- 

 fence : my friend was ready with the lasso, and having thrown it 

 dexterously over her, she was secured. To the last moment the 

 young one had clung to the mother. 



*' The young one measured over the forehead along the back, from 

 the tip of the nose to the insertion of the tail, twenty-two and a half 

 inches ; the tail was twelve and a half inches, and it stood nine and 

 three quarter inches high. In lieu of the yellowish white of the legs, 

 and the bands of the same colour, which give such a remarkable ap- 

 pearance to the adult, there were in the young animal gray hairs, 

 tinged with white : in all other respects it resembled its mother in 

 colouring. 



** The young Ant-bear was quite wild at first, and sought for some 

 dark comer in the room in which it was confined, in order to hide 

 itself. When we approached it, it put itself immediately in defence 

 like the adult ones, and struck out with its right paw, uttering at the 

 same time a growl like that of an incensed puppy. After a few 

 days, however, it became accustomed to its situation, and an In- 

 dian woman took upon her to feed it with milk and Cassada, and 

 sometimes with White Ants. It soon showed great attachment to 

 her, and followed her like a dog, 



" It appeared to be of a very cold nature ; not only the extremities, 

 but the whole body felt cold to the touch, although we kept it 

 wrapped up in a blanket. It preferred, however, to be nestled, and 

 to be taken up, and on putting it down it uttered a whining but 

 not unpleasant sound ; when it did not succeed in attracting atten- 

 tion, and was not taken up again, the whining sound was raised to 

 a harsh and grating noise. In following a person, it directed its 

 course more by the smell than by sight, and carried its snout 

 close to the ground. If it found itself at fault, it wheeled round 

 at right angles upon the hind legs, and snuflfed the air in all 

 directions, until it found the right scent again. Of the dimness 

 of its sight we had various proofs ; it hurt itself frequently against 

 objects that stood in its way, not observing them until it came in 

 contact with them. Its power of smelling was exquisite, and it could 



