208 SKKTCH OF THE HISTORY OF MAMMALIA. 



They are often very extensive, and it is incredible with 

 what des|)atch the animal makes them, and with what 

 rapidity it mines onwards when endeavouring to elude 

 the search of persons attempting to dig it out of its 

 retreat ; hence it is not captured without difficulty. The 

 flesh of the aard-vark, and especially the hind-quarters 

 when made into hams, are accounted excellent. 



The aard-vark is a connecting link between the arma- 

 dillos and the next section. 



Family— TOOTHLESS ANT-EATERS. 



Genus Myrmecophaga. 



The genus Myrmecophaga, as established by Linnaeus 

 and retained by Desmarest and others, is not strictly 

 natural. Perhaps we should hardly be justified in sepa- 

 rating the Tamandua from the Tamanoir (Great Ant- 

 bear, or Ant-eater) ; but with respect to the little two- 

 clawed ant-eater it certainly forms the type of a distinct 

 genus. 



The Great Ant-eater, or Ant-bear 

 (^Myrmecophaga juhata). 



The Tamanoir of Buffon. This species, a native of 

 Guiana, Brazil, and Paraguay, is characterized by the 

 total absence of teeth, a narrow head with an extremely 

 slender elongated snout, contrasting strangely with the 

 clumsy massive contour of the limbs and body. The 

 mouth is a small slit at the extremity of the snout; the 

 eyes are small, and the tongue long, cylindrical, and pro- 

 tractile, constituting an organ for obtaining insect food, 

 and is lubricated by a gummy saliva; the limbs are short, 

 but of great thickness, furnished with huge hook-like 

 claws well adapted for making forcible entrance into the 

 solid dwellings of the termite ants. The claws of the 

 fore-feet are four in number, the inner one being the 

 smallest ; of the hind-feet five. Those of the fore-feet, 

 in a state of repose or when the animal is walking, are 

 doubled inwards on a rough callous pad, and the outer 

 portion only of the fore-feet is applied to the ground. 



