WITH SCALES OR SHELLS. 221 



them like the rest of the body. These are above 

 three inches broad, and about two inches long, 

 thick in the middle, and sharp at the edges, and 

 terminated in a roundish point. They are ex- 

 tremely hard, and their substance resembles that 

 of horn. They are convex on the outside, and 

 a little concave on the inner ; one edge sticks in 

 the skin, while the other laps over that imme- 

 diately behind it. Those that cover the tail con- 

 form to the shape of that part, being of a dusky 

 brown colour, and so hard, when the animal has 

 acquired its full growth, as to turn a musket-ball. 

 Thus armed, this animal fears nothing from 

 the efforts of all other creatures except man. 

 The instant it perceives the approach of an ene- 

 my, it rolls itself up like the hedgehog, and pre- 

 sents no part but the cutting edges of its scales 

 to the assailant. Its long tail, which, at first 

 view, might be thought easily separable, serves 

 still more to increase the animal's security. This 

 is lapped round the rest of the body, and, being 

 defended with shells even more cutting than any 

 other part, the creature continues in perfect se- 

 curity. Its shells are so large, so thick, and so 

 pointed, that they repel every animal of prey ; 

 they make a coat of armour that wounds while it 

 resists, and at once protects and threatens. The 

 most cruel, the most famished quadruped of the 

 forest, the tiger, the panther, and the hyaena, 

 make vain attempts to force it. They tread 

 upon, they roll it about, but all to no purpose ; 

 the pangolin remains safe within, while its in- 

 vader almost always feels the reward of its rash- 



