180 ANT-EATER. 



certain bones or processes at the entrance of the 

 throat, and useful most probably in keeping back 

 extraneous substances that might be injurious to 

 the stomach, this species has no teeth, because they 

 are unnecessary to such creatures as live on 

 ants. The Ant-Eater depends altogether upon his 

 tongue, and the tongue, therefore, is of a great 

 length, and covered with a glutinous saliva. It 

 is easily thrust into an ants'-nest, or laid upon 

 the summit of the mound which they throw up, 

 while the unsuspecting insects either pursue their 

 usual occupations, or else mount upon it and are 

 immediately entangled: hundreds are thus en- 

 trapped, for ants are inquisitive, and a new object 

 immediately attracts them. Nothing is made in 

 vain, and every creature has some assigned duty 

 to perform. Ant-Eaters, confined to warm climates, 

 are no doubt extremely useful in keeping down the 

 redundancy of insect life; as ichneumons on the 

 banks of the Nile, and vultures concealed in such 

 trees as grow within sight of its banks, prevent the 

 crocodile from becoming numerically dangerous. 



A class of plants has recently been discovered 

 in South America, concerning which as yet but 

 little has transpired. These are the Orchidse, 

 or Orphyses, a beautiful tribe, which, like the or- 

 chises of our own country, grow best in lonely 

 places, and will not thrive, even beside the cottage 

 door. I have often brought orchises from the mea- 

 dows or the wood-side, and planted them in a sunny 

 border; they looked well till the season of flowers 

 was over, they sprung up the next year, and looked 



