EDENTATA. 



529 



The Tamanoir, or Great Ant-Bear iMyrmecophaga'^- ji,}mta), does not 

 possess tins faculty ; it is up\yards of four feet lou"- • its tail is fur 

 nished with long hairs, directed vertically both above and below 

 It IS said that it can defend itself against the Jaguar It is a 

 native of Brazil and Guiana. It might seem almost Incredible that 

 so robust and powerful an animal can procure sufficient sustenance 

 from Ants alone ; but it is not surprising to persons acquainted with 

 the tropical parts of America, and who have seen the enormous 

 multitude of these animals, that swarm in all parts of the countrv 

 to such a degree, that their hills ahnost touch one another for mile^^ 

 together. The favourite resorts of the Great Ant eaters 

 low swampy savannahs along the banks of rivers and 

 waters. 



are the 

 stagnant 



The Scaly Ant-eaters {Mams\) differ from the precedino- bv 

 havnig their body, limbs, and tail covered with thick scales, disposed 

 /^ 



Fig. 456.— manis. 



like the tiles of a house, these they raise, by rolling themselves 

 up into a ball, to defend tliemselves against an enemy, 



The Cape Ant-eaters (Orycferopus t) have long been confounded 

 with the Ant-eaters, because they live on the same kind of food. 



* f^^pf^v^, f^vpfxTiKos, murines, murmekos, an ant ; (bayelu, phagein, 

 to eat— ant-eater. 



t Probably from manus, a hand, on account of the large fore-claws, 

 which are employed in tearing down the nests of the Teniiites or 

 White-ants. 



t opvKTTjs, oryctes. a clkjqer : ttovs, por.s, a foot. 



2 A 



