86 



Vertcbrata. 



FIG. 40. 



and in order to enable them to accomplish this, the 

 retractor muscle extends back to trie hinder end of 

 the breast-bone, which itself is often enormously 

 elongated. Some anteaters are over five feet in 



length, others are much 

 smaller. The great Cape 

 anteater of South Africa 

 is closely allied, but has 

 a strap-like tongue and 

 grinding teeth, which are 

 peculiar in their struc- 

 ture, as each tooth con- 

 sists, not of a single 

 papilla like the teeth of 

 most other animals, but 

 | of a closely united bundle 

 of separate papillae (fig. 

 I 40). The pangolins of 

 Africa and Asia are 

 covered with overlap- 

 ping epidermal scales, 

 and are also toothless 

 and insect-eaters. They 



Tooth of Orycterope or Cape Ant- 

 eater magnified, showing the sepa- 

 'ate papillae, p, of which each tooth 

 is made up ; d, dentine, or tooth- 

 substance ; c, cement. 



all have enormous claws 

 on their hands for tear- 

 ing open the ant-hills so 



as to reach their prey. 

 The second family, or the armadillos, are South 

 American, scale-covered burrowing animals, with 

 grinding teeth and a short tongue. They feed chiefly 

 on carrion or small animals, and their dermal armour 

 is arranged in transverse girdles or bands which may 

 be movable on each other. 



