THE TAMA>-DrA. 211 



With the termites he swallows a considerable quantity 

 of the material of which the ants' nest is constructed. Of 

 this fact Dr. Schomburgk assured himself by dissection, 

 and he is of opinion that the substance of the nest serves 

 as a corrector. 



"It has been generally thought," says Dr. Schomburgk, 

 " that the ant-bear lives exclusively on ants; this, how- 

 ever, is not the case. In one which I dissected a year 

 ago a species of julus was found ; and the avidity with 

 which an adult one now in my possession swallowed fresh 

 meat, which was hashed up for it, makes me believe that 

 even in the wild state it does not satisfy itself exclusively 

 with ants, and, provided the food is of such a size that it 

 can take it up with its moveable upper lip, it does not 

 despise it." According to the same authority the great 

 ant-eater makes no burrow, its tail serving as a sufficient 

 protection : the female produces a single offspring, which 

 she carries on her back ; she defends herself by striking 

 with her fore-feet, while raised on her haunches, or 

 throws herself on her back, dealing blows with both her 

 claws. The young soon become tame and familiar, 

 growl like a puppy, or utter a plaintive whine. The 

 sense of smell is exquisite ; and the animal is directed 

 more by this than by sight. The teats of the female are 

 two and pectoral. The young remains with its parent 

 for the space of a year. 



Dr. Schomburgk domesticated an adult female ant-eater, 

 which he found capable of climbing with great facility 

 and also of taking up objects with its paws. It ate beer, 

 and even fish cut small. When not asleep, it rested on 

 its haunches ; but in feeding kneeled as goats and sheep 

 often do. Its height was three feet ; the length of the 

 head one foot three inches ; of the back three feet seven 

 inches ; of the tail three feet six inches. 



The Tamandua 



{Myrmecophaga tamandiia, Cuv. ; the Middle Ant-eater, 

 Shaw ; the Cagouare of Azara). 



This species is a native of Brazil and Paraguay. In 

 the general plan of its osteology the tamandua agrees 



