NATURAL HISTORY. 327 



tver, differ from the quadrupeds in many other res- 

 pects, and form a di>Linct class. The second general 

 property, to produce young alive, is not peculiar to 

 quadrupeds, since it is common with whales and other 

 fishes of that class. And the third attribute, that of 

 being covered with hair, exists not in several species, 

 which carmot be excluded from the class of quadrupeds, 

 since, this characteristic excepted, they agree with 

 them in every other respect. 



Under the general name of armadillo, \ve may rec- 

 kon several species which seem to us really distinct ; 

 in all of which the animal is protected by a crust tin t 

 resembles bone. This crust externally covers the hear 1 , 

 the neck, the back, the flanks, the buttocks, and the 

 tail to the very extremity. It is covered by a thin 

 skin, sleek and transparent : the throat, the breast, 

 and the belly, which present a white grainy skin, liki 

 that of a plucked fowl. Besides, by viewing these 

 parts with attention, you will perceive the appearance 

 of scales which are of the same substance as the crust. 

 This crust however is not of one piece, l. : ke that of the 

 turtle ; it consists of several joined to each other by 

 as many membranes, which put this armour in motion. 

 The number of these natural bands does not depend on 

 the age of the animal ; for the young armadillo and 

 the adults, have i-i the same species the same number. 

 Father d'Abbeville has distinguished six species of the 

 armadillo, but the piincipal difference between them 

 consists in the number of divisions in the armour of 

 the different species. 



The armadilloes in general arc innocent, harmless 

 animals; but if they can get into gardens, thvy will 

 sat melons, potatoes, pulse, and roots. Though ori- 

 ginally natives of the hot climates of America, they 



