THE ARMADILLO, or TAtOU. 131 



back, fides, rump, and the tail to the very point i but not the throat, 

 breatt or belly, which are covered with a white foft fkin, yet offer 

 rudiments of Ihells, even in their fofceft parts. Complete ofllfication 

 takes place only on parts of leaft friction, and moft expofed. By means 

 of the divifions in its Ihcll, the animal has a motion in its back. The 

 bands are various in number and fize; generally, two large pieces cover, 

 one the (houlders, the other the rump. Between thefe, the bands lap 

 over each other. Eefides their opening crofs-ways, they alfo open along 

 the back. They are differently coloured in different kinds, bur ufually 

 arc a dirty srev. The fhell itfelf is covered with a foftilli ikin, I'mooth 

 and tranfparent. 



The armadillo has the fame method of proteding itfelf as the hedge- 

 hog .or the pangolin. When attacked, it withdrav/b its head under its 

 ihells, tucks its feet under its belly, while the tail Icrves as a ftrength- 

 eninfj band : thus it becomes like a ball, fiattifli on each fide. In this 

 fituation it is toffed about by other quadrupeds, and littie refembles a 

 creature endowed with life. The Indians, by laying it clofe to the fire, 

 loon oblige the poor animal to unfold itfelf. 



Though native of the warmefb parts of Am.erica, yet it bears our cli- 

 mate. Their motion feems to be a fwift walk, they can neither run, leap, 

 nor climb trees^ Their refource, when purfued, is to make toward theif 

 hole as fall as they can j or, to make a new one. For this they require 

 but a very few moments advantage, having four claws on each foot ex- 

 tremely large, ftrong, and crooked. If caught by the tail when mak- 

 ing their way into the earth, by their refiftance tney leave their tail in 

 the hand of their purfurer. The flefh of the fmalier kinds is faid to be 

 delicate eating, if the armadillo be near a precipice, it often efcapes 

 by rolling itfelf up, and tumbling from rock to rock. They are fome- 

 times taken in fnares laid for them by the fides of rivers and lov/ moid 

 places, which they particularly frequent. Their burra^s arc very deep, 

 and they Icldom flir out but at night, and aever far from their re- 

 treats. 



They moflly root the ground, like a hog, in fearch of roots. They 

 eat alfo melons, vegetables, andfleili, when they can get it. They fje- 

 quent watery places, were they eat worms, fmall fiih, and water infecls, 

 and are frequen-tly found in the fame hole with the ratele-fnakc. 



The firft of this kind, has three bai-.ds between the two large pieces 

 that cover the back, is called the Tatu Apara. The tail is fliortelt in 

 this kind, being about two inches long, while the whole fheii is one 



foot 



