Field- Labourers 89 



America, is like the Aard-Vark, but larger, and is so 

 bold that it will sit up and fight even a ' tiger,' or more 

 properly jaguar, with the very long curved claws of its 

 fore-feet. Yet, notwithstanding its size and strength, 

 it lives chiefly on ants. 



By these and other ant-eaters the hills and mounds 

 of the ants are demolished, and the earth which they 

 have excavated with so much labour is returned to the 

 soil. And it is returned in an altered state, much finer 

 than before, and enriched to some extent at least by 

 what has been added to it, and so is better fitted for 

 the support of plant-life. 



