328 NATURAL HISTORY. 



live in temperate regions. I once saw one in Langue- 

 doc, which was fed at home, and went every where 

 without doing any damage or mischief: they walk 

 quickly, but they can neither leap, run, nor climb up 

 trees : they have then no other resources but to hide 

 themselves in their holes, or if they are at too great a 

 distance from them, they contrive to dig one before 

 they are overcome ; for they are as expert as the mole 

 herself in digging the ground. They are sometimes 

 caught by the tail before they are out of sight, in 

 which case they make such a resistance, that the tail 

 is broken without bringing out the body. In order, 

 therefore to take them without mutilation, the bur- 

 row must be opened. When they find themselves in 

 the hand of the pursuers, they roll themselves up into 

 a ball ; and are placed near the fire, to force them to 

 stretch out their coat of mail ; which, hard as it is, 

 as it is touched with the finger, the animal receives so 

 quick an impression, that he contracts in an instant. 

 When they are in deep burrows, the method of for- 

 cing them out is to smoke them, or to let water run 

 down the hole. Some pretend, that they remain under 

 ground above three months without venturing out. 

 It is true, that they remain in their holes in the day- 

 time, and never go out but in the night to seek for 

 their subsistence. The armadillo is" hunted with small 

 dogs, that soon overtake him ; but he stops before they 

 have reached him, and contracts himself; in which 

 condition he is carried off. If he finds himself on the 

 brink of a precipice, he escapes the dugs and the hunts- 

 men, by rolling himself up, and fulling down like a ball 

 without injury or prejudice to his scales. 



These animals are fat, and very prolific. The fc- 

 .nnale brings forth, as it is reported, four ycmr?g "ones 



