186 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 



cept the land-tortoise. His skin is of a texture 

 that perfectly resists the bite of a dog ; his hinder 

 parts are protected by thick and shaggy hair, 

 while his immense tail is large enough to cover his 

 whole body. 



The Indians have a great dread of coming in 

 contact with the ant-bear; and after disabling 

 him in the chase, never think of approaching him 

 till he be quite dead. It is perhaps on account of 

 this caution, that naturalists have never yet given 

 to the world a true and correct drawing of this 

 singular animal, or described the peculiar posi- 

 tion of his fore-feet when he walks or stands. If, 

 in taking a drawing from a dead ant-bear, you 

 judge of the position in which he stands from that 

 of all other terrestrial animals, the sloth excepted, 

 you will be in error. Examine only a figure of 

 this animal, in books of natural history, or inspect 

 a stuffed specimen in the best museums, and you 

 will see that the fore-claws are just in the same 

 forward attitude as those of a dog, or a common 

 bear when he walks or stands. But this is a dis- 

 torted and unnatural position ; and in life, would 

 be a painful and intolerable attitude for the ant- 

 bear. The length and curve of his claws cannot 

 admit of such a position. When he walks or 

 stands, his feet have somewhat the appearance of 

 a club-hand. He goes entirely on the outer side 

 of his fore-feet, which are quite bent inwards ; the 

 claws collected into a point, and going under the 

 foot. In this position he is quite at ease; while 

 his long claws are disposed of in a manner to ren- 

 der them harmless to him, and are prevented from 

 becoming dull and worn, like those of the dog, 



