MAMMALIA— ANT-EATER. 273 



THE WATIRI WAOU, 1 

 And the French fourmillier, or ant-eater. He is still much smaller than 

 the tamandua, being not above six or seven inches in length from the extre- 

 mity of the snout to the tail ; his head is two inches long; the snout is not 

 near so long as that of the tarnanoir, or the tamandua; his tail is seven 

 inches in length, is bent underneath, and bare at the end ; his tongue is nar- 

 row, long, and flat ; his neck is almost bare ; the head is large in proportion 

 to the body ; his eyes placed low, at a little distance from the corners of the 

 mouth; his ears are small and hidden by the hair; his legs are but three 

 inches in height ; the fore feet have no more than two claws, the outward 

 is much longer than the inward one ; the hind feet have four claws ; the 

 hair of the body is about nine inches long; he feels smooth; his color is 

 shining, diversified with red and yellow ; his feet are not made to walk, but 

 to climb up, and to take hold of branches of trees, on which he hangs him- 

 self by the extremity of his tail. 



These three animals, so different in the size and proportions of the body, 

 have, nevertheless, many things in common, as to conformation and their 

 natural instinct. All three feed upon ants, and suck honey and other liquid 

 and viscous substances ; they gather quickly crumbs of bread and small pieces 

 of meat ; they are tamed and domesticated easily ; they can subsist a long 

 while without food ; they do not swallow all the liquor which they keep in 

 their mouth — one part of it issues out of their nostrils ; they commonly 

 sleep in the daytime, and change their station in the night; they go so 

 slowly, that a man may overtake them easily whilst running in open ground. 

 The savages eat their flesh, which has, however, an unsavory taste. 



The tarnanoir looks at a distance like a great fox, and for that reason 

 .Some travellers call him the American fox ; he is strong enough to defend 

 himself against a large dog, and even a jaguar; when he is attacked he 

 fights standing on his hind legs, like the bear, and makes use of his fore 

 claws, which are murdering weapons, for his protection ; afterwards he lies 

 on his back to use his hind legs, and in this situation he is almost invinci- 

 ole ; he fights with obstinacy to the last extremity, and even after he has 

 put his adversary to death, he keeps hold of him a long while. He is 

 covered with long bushy hair, and a very thick skin ; besides, his flesh is 

 remarkably hard, and he seldom loses his life in these engagements. 



The tarnanoir, the tamandua, and the fourmillier, are natives of the 

 hottest climates only of America; they are found in Brazil, in Guiana, and 

 in the country of the Amazons, &c. ; they do not breed in Canada, nor in 

 the other frozen regions of the New World, and do not belong consequently 

 \o the Ancient Continent. 



We copy the following from " Waterton's Wanderings." 



" The ants have their enemies, as well as the rest of animated nature. 



1 Mijrmecophag-a didactyla, Lin. 



35 



