popular Qtcttonarn of gfotmatctt 



37 



lar buckler over the haunches, while between 

 these solid portions there intervenes a series 

 of transverse bands or shelly zones, in such 

 a manner as to accommodate this coat of mail 

 to the various postures of the body ; the tail 

 also is covered by a series of calcareous rings ; 

 and the animal altogether exhibits a striking 

 deviation from the usual structure and out- 

 ward appearance of quadrupeds. Like the 

 hedgehog, it can roll itself up into a ball, 

 thereby offering a uniform, solid surface, 

 impervious to the attacks of birds of prey or 

 small quadrupeds. The interior surface of 



FOYOO ARMADII.LO. 

 (DA8YPD8 8EXCJNCTO8 VAR ) 



the body, not covered by the shell, is clothe 1 

 with coarse, scattered hairs, of which some 

 are also seen to issue forth between the joints 

 of the armour. The Armadillos have a ra- 

 ther pointed snout, long ears, short and thick 

 limbs, and stout claws ; all of which are 

 adapted to their habits of burrowing, which 

 they perform with such astonishing rapidity 

 that it is almost impossible to get at them 

 by digging. The hunters are then obliged 

 to smoke them out of their dens ; and as 

 soon as they reach the surface they roll 

 themselves up, and are easily captured. Al- 

 though they abound in incredible numbers, 

 were it not for their peculiar fecundity they 

 would be speedily exterminated, as they are 

 sought with great avidity on account of their 

 flesh, which is roasted in the shell, and is 

 regarded as a great luxury. Their food con- 

 sists chiefly of succulent roots, ripe fruits, 

 and other soft vegetable substances ; but 

 they also greedily devour worms, small li- 

 zards, ants, and the eggs of birds which build 

 their nests on the ground. The species are 

 distinguished from each other, principally, 

 bj f the number of bands on the trunk of the 

 body, between the shield on the fore-shoul- 

 ders and that on the rump. Don F. Azara, 

 however, in his " Essays on the Natural His- 

 tory of the Quadrupeds of Paraguay," showed 

 that the number of these bands is by no 

 means constant in the same species, but that 

 within certain prescribed limits this number 

 varies according to the age and sex of the 

 individual. Baron Cuvier, accordingly, for j 

 greater facility of definition, has divided the ' 

 whole genus into five small groups, princi- j 

 pally distinguished from one another by the i 

 number and form of their teeth and claws ; j 

 and to these sub-divisions he has applied, re- | 



spectively, the names of Cachicames, Apars, 

 Encouberts, Cabassous, and Priodontes. 



The CACHICAMKS are those which have 

 four toes on each foot, and seven teeth on 

 each side in both the upper and lower jaws. 

 The APAKS have also four toes on each 

 foot, and nine or ten teeth on each side above 

 and below. The Apar has only three move- 

 able bands ; the rest of its tesselated cover- 

 ing being nearly inflexible : it has also the 

 power of rolling itself into a perfect sphere, 

 in which state it is safe from the attack of 

 dogs ; its smooth hard covering offering a 

 better defence than the sharp spines of the 

 hedgehog. The EXCOUBEKTS have five toes 

 on the fore-feet, and in addition to nine or 

 ten teeth on each side in both jaws, have two 

 incisor teeth in the upper. The CABASSOCS 

 have five toes ; but those of the fore-feet are 

 obliquely placed, so that the thumb and 

 index finger are small, but the middle and 

 fourth claws are anned with immensely 

 large trenchant claws ; on each side above 

 and below are nine or ten teeth The PKIO- 

 DONTES, in addition to the unequal toes and 

 enormous claws of the Cabassous, have, on 

 each side of both jaws, twenty-two or twen- 

 ty-four small teeth. The GL/LKT AKMADII.LO 

 ffiyas) belongs to this division. 



It is the largest known species of Armadillo; 

 the body, exclusive of the toil, being some- 

 times three feet in length. 



The PICIIY (Dasypus wiinwrtw), as we 

 read in Mr. Darwin's " Researches " in South 

 America, wanders by day over the open 

 plains, feeding on beetles, larvae, roots, and 

 even small snakes. It prefers a very dry 

 soil ; and the sand-dunes near the coast, 

 where for many months it can never taste 

 water, is its favourite resort. The instant 

 one was perceived, it was necessary in order 

 to catch it, almost to tumble off one's horse ; 

 for if the soil was soft, the animal burrowed 

 BO quickly, that its hinder quarters had al- 

 most disappeared before one could alight. 

 The Pichy likewise often tries to escape 

 notice by squatting close to the ground. 



It is an interesting fact, fully proved by 

 the remains of extinct species discovered by 

 the above-named traveller, that more than 

 one gigantic animal, protected by an arma- 

 dillo-like covering, were once inhabitants of 

 this earth, but at a period so remote as to 

 render all attempts to ascertain their exact 

 nature perfectly unavailing : much, however, 



