CHAPTER XIV 

 ORDER OF DIGGERS 



EFFODIENTIA 



THIS Order contains only a very small number of genera 

 and species, all of which are confined to the Old World. 

 They are the pangolins of Africa and the Far East, and the 

 aard-varks of Africa. Until very recently these animals have 

 been classed with the ant-eaters, sloths and armadillos, in 

 the Order Edentata, or toothless mammals. But both in 

 internal and external anatomy they differ widely from their 

 very distant American relatives. 



The latest and most exact classification assigns them to a 

 new and wholly independent Order, called Ef-fo-di-en'tia, 

 which means "Diggers." Its divisions are as below: 



Order Effodientia 



FAMILIES EXAMPLES 



,, , , , . , f Manis, or Pangolin, of India. 



Tangolins Man i-dae < ,, . , , , , 



[ Mams pentaaactyla. 



. TT „ ,,. , f Aard-Vark, of South Africa. 



Aard-varks U-riic-te-ro-pod i-dae. . . . < ~ , ,. 



J r [ (Jrycteropus afer. 



THE PANGOLIN FAMILY 

 Manidae 



One good look at a pangolin, or manis, is enough to arouse 

 curiosity and provoke inquiry. Like the armadillo, it is one 



180 



