744 EDENTATA. 



moment, the quadruped darts out its tongue, which is covered with a 

 viscous humor, into the midst of the restless crowd, and then draws it 

 back covered with the victims. 



This exclusive description of food communicates to the flesh a 

 strongly acidulated taste; nevertheless the Hottentots and the colonists 

 at the Cape of Good Hope are partial to it, and hunt these animals. A 

 slight blow on the head with a stick is sufficient to kill it. The Aard 

 Vark is represented in Northeastern Africa by the species Oryctcropus 

 j^t/iiopicus, and it is probable that a third species occurs in Senegal. 



The family Mvrmecophagid.e comprises three genera of true Ant- 

 eaters. They have little resemblance to the Aard Vark. The body is 

 more elongated, the head and snout more pointed, and the tail is much 

 longer. The hinder legs are weaker than the fore ones. The mouth 

 is very small, the tongue long, thin, and round like a worm. The eyes 

 and ears are small. There is not a trace of teeth. 



GENUS MYRMECOPHAGUS. 



The Great Ant-eater, Myrmecophagus jubatus (Plate LXI), the only 

 species, is also called the Ant Bear or Tamanoir. It possesses a won- 

 derfully elongated and narrow head, and is thickly covered with long, 

 coarse hair, which on the tail forms a heavv plume. The color of this 

 animal is brown, washed with gray on the head and face, and inter- 

 spersed with pure white hairs on the head, body, and tail. The throat is 

 black, and a long triangular black mark arises from the throat, and passes 

 obliquely over the shoulders. There are four toes on the fore-feet, and 

 five on the hinder. In total length it measures between six and seven 

 feet, the tail being about two feet six inches long. 



The claws of the fore-feet are extremely long and curved, and tiie 

 animal folds them back upon a thick, rough pad which is placed in the 

 palm, and seems to render the exertion of walking less difficult. As, 

 however, the Ant Bear is forced to walk upon the outer edge of its fore- 

 feet, its progress is a peculiarly awkward one, and cannot be kept up for 

 any long time. Its mode of feeding is similar to that of the Aard Vark. 

 It extends its long extensile tongue, which is covered with a glutinous 

 secretion to which the ants adhere, and which prevents them from making 

 their escape during the short period of time that elapses between the 



