WITH SCALES OR SHELLS. 223 



pangolin, therefore, approaches an ant-hill, for 

 these are the insects on which it chiefly feeds, it 

 lies down near it, concealing as much as possible 

 the place of its retreat, and stretching out its 

 long tongue among the ants, keeps it for some 

 time quite immoveable. These little animals, 

 allured by its appearance, and the unctuous sub- 

 stance with which it is smeared, instantly gather 

 upon it in great numbers ; and when the pango- 

 lin supposes a sufficiency, it quickly withdraws 

 the tongue, and swallows them at once. This 

 peculiar manner of hunting for its prey is repeat- 

 ed either till it be satisfied, or till the ants, grown 

 more cautious, will be allured to their destruc- 

 tion no longer. It is against these noxious in- 

 sects, therefore, that its only force or cunning is 

 exerted ; and were the Negroes but sufficiently 

 sensible of its utility in destroying one of the 

 greatest pests to their country, they would not 

 be so eager to kill it. But it is the nature of sa- 

 vage men to pursue the immediate good, without 

 being solicitous about the more distant benefit 

 they remove. They, therefore, hunt this animal 

 with the utmost avidity for its flesh ; and, as it is 

 slow and unable to escape in an open place, they 

 seldom fail of destroying it. However, it chiefly 

 keeps in the most obscure parts of the forest, and 

 digs itself a retreat in the clefts of rocks, where 

 it brings forth its young ; so that it is but rarely 

 met with, and continues a solitary species, and 

 an extraordinary instance of the varying of na- 

 ture. 



