( 129 ) 



SCALY AND SHELLY QUADRUPEDS. 



THE PANGOLIN. 



HA S been injudicioufly called the Scaly Lizard, but it refembles 

 the lizard only in general form, and in being covered with fcales. 

 The lizard may be confidered as a reptile, produced from an egg; 

 the pangolin is a quadruped brought fonh alive and perfedlly formed. 

 The lizard is all over covered with the marks of fcales ; the pangolin 

 has fcales neither on the throat, the bread, or the belly. The 

 fcales of the Lizard feem fluck upon the body even clofer than thofe of 

 filhes ; the fcales of the pangolin are only fixed at one end, and capable 

 of being ere6led, like the quills of the porcupine, at pleafure. The 

 lizard is a defencelefs creature j the pangolin can roll itfelf into a ball, 

 like the hedge-hog, and prefent the points of its fcales to the enemy, 

 which efFedually defend it. 



It is about three or four feet long, the tail as much more j has a fmall 

 head, very long nofe, fhort thick neck, long body, legs very fhort, 

 tail extremely long, thick at the bafc, and terminating in a point j has 

 no teeth, five toes on each foot, with long white claws j is chiefiy dif- 

 tjnguifhed by its fcaly covering, which defends all parts, except the un- 

 der part of the head and neck, under the (boulders, the breaft, the belly, 

 and the inner fide of the legs; all which are covered with a fmooth foft 

 fkin, without hair. Between the (hells, at the inter(tices, are hairs like 

 briftles, brown at the extremity, and yellow toward the root. The fcales 

 arc of different fizes and forms, (luck on the body fomewhat like the 

 leaves of an artichoak. The largeft are, near the tail (which is alfo co- 

 vered with them), three inches broad, two inches long, thick in the mid- 

 dle, fharp at the edges, and term.inatcd in a roundilh point; extremely 

 hard like horn ; convex above, a little concave within ; one edge (licks 

 in the (kin, the other laps over that immediately behind it, of a dufky 

 brown colour, and when the animal has acquired its full growth, fo hard, 

 as to turn a mufquet-ball. 



The inftant it perceives danger, it rolls itfelf up like the hedge-hog, 

 and prefects to the alTailant only the cutting edges of its fcales. Its 

 long tail encreafcs its fscurity, being lapped round the body, and 

 defended with (hells more cuttina; than any others. Thefe (hells, fo large, 

 w thick, fo pointed, repel every a(rault : the tiger, the panther, the 

 hy£na, vainly attempt it by treading on, or rolling it about. The Ne- 

 groes 



