THE PANGOLINS 



1399 



of which the third is larger than either of the others. In walking, the front toes 

 are bent under the feet, and the weight of the body supported mainly on the upper 

 and outer sides of the fourth and fifth toes. On the other hand, the hind-feet are 

 of the ordinary plantigrade type, and have the whole sole applied to the ground in 

 walking. The female has a pair of teats situated on the breast. In the skeleton 

 the skull is remarkable for its smooth and solid structure, and almost conical form. 

 The zygomatic, or cheek arch, is incomplete, and there is no distinction between the 

 sockets of the eyes and the fossae at the hinder extremity of the skull; while the 

 palate is much produced backward. The lower jaw is extremely slight and slender, 

 without any ascending or descending processes. In many of these respects the 

 skulls of the pangolins approach those of the true ant-eaters; but it must be remem- 



THE INDIAN PANGOLIN. 



(One-eighth natural size.) 



bered that such resemblances are purely adaptive, and are brought about by the 

 identical modes of life of the two groups. Two other points may be noticed in the 

 skeleton; firstly, that collar bones are wanting, and secondly, that the terminal 

 joints of the claws are deeply cleft. 



~. . .. ^. The pangolins, of which the largest species attains a length of about 



Distribution . - . , _ 



and Mode Slx eet) are exclusi vely confined to Africa south of the Sahara, and 



of Life Southeastern Asia. Africa possesses the largest species, and the 

 greater number of forms. The pangolins are essentially burrowing 

 and nocturnal animals, feeding exclusively on ants and termites, which are captured 

 on the long extensile tongue. They have the power of, rolling themselves into a ball 

 as a protection against foes, and when thus coiled up their muscular strength is 

 such as to set at defiance any attempt to unroll them. 



