166 ARMADILLO. 



he tells us, that most of these dig burrows in the 

 earth, and that they excavate these in order to make 

 war on the ants. 



Some of the species walk ahroad only in the 

 night, and look fearfully around them, if observed. 

 Others quit their retreats equally in the day, and 

 these are said not to be so fleet and agile as their 



o 



nocturnal brethren ; some dwell in forests ; others 

 prefer the open plain. Each clan exhibits some 

 peculiar characteristic, but there is no real break in 

 the whole circle ; they are distinguished by the 

 scaly cuirass which enwraps them, from every other 

 creature. 



Armadilloes were once supposed to* feed entirely 

 on vegetable diet. They are, however, decidedly 

 insectivorous, and even, occasionally, carnivorous. 

 The direction of their burrows evinces, as we have 

 just remarked, that they destroy the ants, and these 

 industrious insects quickly disappear, wherever an 

 Armadillo fixes his abode. The restricted limits 

 of the genus (which belongs exclusively to South 

 America) are remarkable, more especially when we 

 consider, that from the facility with which they 

 endure removal to our latitudes, there is every 

 reason to conclude that they would be easily recon- 

 ciled to countries very different from their own. 

 Yet such is not the case. Wherever placed there 

 they contentedly reside. The Armadillo of the 

 mountain, never intrudes upon his neighbour of the 

 plain. 



The different species, too, seem confined to cer- 

 tain parts of America. The Twelve-banded (Dasy- 

 pus tatouy), inhabits the vicinity of Buenos Ayres; 



