AARD VARK —Orycteropus Capensis, 
stuck on the cut extremity. The remainder of the body is covered with long silken hair, 
very like that of the mole in its soft texture. It is a very little creature, scarcely 
surpassing the common English mole in dimensions, and living, like that animal, almost 
entirely below the surface of the earth. Its feet are formed for burrowing, and are most 
powerful instruments for that purpose, though they are not well fitted for rapid progress 
over the ground. 
Its food consists, as far as is known, of worms, and other subterranean creatures, in 
addition to those which it may catch in its nocturnal expeditions into the open air. As 
is the case with the mole, and other subterranean animals, the eyes are of minute 
dimensions, and are hidden under the soft and profuse fur of the face. 
The ANT-EATERS, as their name imports, feed very largely on ants, as well as on 
termites and various other insects, their long flexible tongue acting as a hand for the 
purpose of conveying food into the mouth. The toneue of the Ant-eater, when protruded 
to its fullest extent, bears some resemblance to a great red earth-worm, and as it is 
employed in its food-collecting task, it coils and twists about as if it possessed a separate 
vitality of its own. 
The AArRD VARK, or Earth-hog, is a native of Southern Africa, and is a very curious 
animal. The skin of the Aard Vark is not protected by scales or plates like those of 
the manis and the armadillo, but rather thinly covered with coarse bristly hair. Its length 
is about five feet, the tail being twenty inches long, and it is a very powerful creature, 
especially in the fore-limbs, which are adapted for digging, and are furnished with strong 
hoof-like claws at their extremities. These claws can be used with marvellous rapidity 
and force, and are employed for the purpose of destroying the dwellings of the ants on 
which the Aard Vark feeds, as well as for digging a burrow for its own habitation. 
The burrows are not very deep, but are of tolerably large dimensions, and are often 
used, when deserted, as extempore tombs, to save the friends of the deceased from the 
trouble of digging a grave for their departed comrade. The creature makes its burrows 
with marvellous rapidity, and can generally dig faster with its claws than a man with 
a spade. 
The Aard Vark is a nocturnal animal, and can very seldom be seen during the day- 
time. At night it issues from its burrow, and, making its way towards the ant-hills, 
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