ANTPIG OR ANTBEAR 237 



A number of examples have been sent to the National 

 Zoological Gardens, chiefly from the Eustenburg and 

 Marico districts of the Transvaal, and several females 

 with a young one. As I have never seen more than one 

 young one with a female, I presume this is the full comple- 

 ment. The mother protects the youngster, when small, 

 by rolling herself round it, i.e., embracing it between her 

 feet. 



We have not managed to keep this animal for any 

 length of time in captivity, even when efforts were made 

 to keep it supplied with its natural food of ants. It 

 seems to mope badly. 



Family ORYCTEROPODID^. 



Genus Orycteropus. 



Orycteropus afer. Antpirj or Anthear. Aardvark. 



A plump, pig-like animal, with short legs and thick tail. 

 Head elongated, and with a pig-like snout. The tongue 

 is viscid. The ears are long and erect. The bod}^ which 

 is not well covered with hairs, varies from a dim yellow to 

 a yellowish brown colour. The legs are provided with 

 strong claws, and are clothed on the outer surface with 

 long brown hair. Length of the head and body, from 

 4 to 4| feet ; tail, 17 to 24 inches. 



This animal is not at all uncommon in certain dis- 

 tricts, but, on account of its nocturnal habits, is seldom 

 seen. It excavates large burrows in the earth, in which 

 it lives. These are usually to be seen in the more open 

 and flat country where antheaps abound, as the in- 

 habitants thereof and their larvce are its chief food. An 

 opening is made in the sides of the antheap, and the 

 inmates abstracted by means of its long and sticky tongue. 



