-> Fauna : Mammals 



much as four feet long (163 centimeters) in the biggest 

 examples, and about two and a half feet high when raising 

 itself on its hind-legs. This animal is terrestrial in its habits. 

 The Liberians call it the Ant-bear, reserving the name of Ant- 

 eater or armadillo for the smaller species. It lives in burrows, 

 easily excavated with its enormous claws and generally made in 

 some termite hill which it has attacked in order to immolate the 



293. GIGANTIC MANIS (MANIS GIGANTEA) 

 From the specimen in the British Museum 



white ants. The Gigantic manis, at any rate in adult forms, 

 is nearly hairless on the under-surface of the body, with only a 

 little yellowish hair growing sparsely on the leathery skin. 

 Like the other forms, it has a tendency to rest or even walk 

 on the doubled-up wrists after the manner of the American 

 ant-eater, no doubt turning back the sharp claws so that they 

 may not be too much blunted. According to Bttttikofer, how- 

 ever, when pursued by man it is able to run very quickly 



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