168 ARMADILLO. 



It is worthy of remark, that only the back and 

 shoulders of the Armadillo are guarded hy a shelly 

 covering. Why is this? Because the harmless and 

 retiring creature has few enemies to dread, and 

 rather requires a defence from stones and the 

 roots of trees, when excavating his subterraneous 

 dwelling, than for purposes of warfare. His 

 cuirass, therefore, is a partial one. It is formed 

 partly of irregular pieces, which cover the back and 

 shoulders, and partly of regular bands lying between 

 them, each of which are so beautifully composed of 

 bone and muscle, and so curiously wrought together, 

 that the animal can either roll into a ball, or run 

 at full length, or compress himself into the smallest 

 space consistent with his size. Unlike the lobster, 

 which bears about with him a complete suit of 

 armour, or the tortoise, which never ventures from 

 beneath his shelly pent-house, the Armadillo has 

 his back only defended, but when attacked, he rolls 

 himself into a ball, like the pengalen, and is invul- 

 nerable. His armour for the back, answers, there- 

 fore, a two-fold purpose; it guards him from injury 

 in pursuing his subterraneous labours, and wraps 

 him round when he inclines to roll into a ball. 

 His claws are also admirably adapted for the mode 

 of life to which he is destined; they are large and 

 strong, and he is thus enabled, not only to shovel 

 out both sand and gravel, but even to break off 

 tough roots, and to remove stones of a considerable 

 size. 



The Giant Armadillo rarely quits the wooded 

 portions of Paraguay. Amid the thick forests of 

 that region is found the plain of the Yolcanitos de 



