324 NATURAL HISTORY. 



because it is ambiguous, and applied to both species , 

 because these animals are not only of another kind, 

 but even of another class than the lizards, which are 

 oviparous reptiles, while the pangolin and the phata- 

 gin are viviparous quadrupeds. 



All the lizards are wholly covered, even under the 

 belly, with a sleek speckled skin, like scales, but the 

 pangolin and the phatagin have no scales under their 

 throat, on the breast, or the belly. The phatagin, 

 however, like the other quadrupeds, has hair on all 

 these under parts of the body ; but the pangolin has 

 nothing but a smooth skin without hair. The scales 

 with which all the other parts of the body of these ani- 

 mals are covered, do not stick to the skin : they only 

 adhere to it below ; and they are moveable, like the 

 prickles of the porcupine. These scales are so large, 

 so har,d, and so sharp, that they frighten and discou- 

 rage all animals of prey. It is an offensive armour 

 which wounds while it resists. 



The most cruel and the most voracious animals, such 

 as the tiger and the panther, make but useless efforts 

 to devour these armed animals. They tread upon 

 them, roll them, but when they attempt to seize them, 

 they are grievously wounded. They can neither ter- 

 rify them by violence, nor crush them with their weight. 



When the pangolin and the phatagin contract them- 

 selves, they do not, like the hedge-hog, assume a glo- 

 bular and uniform figure : they form an oblong coat 

 of armour ; but their thick and long tail remains out- 

 ward, and encircles their bodies : this exterior part, 

 by which it seems these animals might otherwise be 

 seized, carries its own defence. It is covered with 

 scales equally hard and sharp with those which cover 

 the body, and as it is convex above, and flat below, 



