Tlie Armadillo. 



109 





THE ARMADILLO. (Dasypus sexcinctus.) 



NATURE seems to have been singularly careful in the 

 preservation of this animal, for she has surrounded it 

 with a strong coat of armour to protect it from its ene- 

 mies. When closely pursued, it assumes the shape of a 

 ball; and, if near a precipice, rolls from one rock to 

 another, and escapes without receiving any injury. The 

 shell, which covers the whole of the body, is composed 

 of numerous bony plates, very hard, and of a square 

 shape, united by a kind of cartilaginous substance, 

 which gives flexibility to the whole. The Armadillo 

 lives principally on roots, carrion, and ants ; and in a 

 wild state resides in subterranean burrows, like the 

 rabbit. It is a native of South America. There are 

 several species differing chiefly in the number of their 

 bands. When naturalists wish to obtain a specimen of 

 the Armadillo in its native country, they are obliged to 

 employ an Indian to dig one out of its hole ; and as the 

 holes are almost innumerable, only a few of them con- 

 taining Armadillos, the Indians try them first by put- 

 ting a stick down, when, if a number of musquitos rise, 

 the Indians know the hole contains an Armadillo, as, if 

 there were none, there would be no musquitos. 



