THE AARD VARK OR EARTH HOG 



any other effect than temporarily stunning the 

 creature. This, however, is not by any means so 

 with the South African Ant-Eater. We have found 

 that it will succumb to a comparatively light blow 

 with a stick or stone on the skull, for the reason 

 that the bones of the skull are exceptionally thin 

 and easily broken. 



The Hottentots frequently hunt the Aard Vark, 

 armed with sticks and stones. The hunter creeps 

 up as near to the animal as he can, and then, suddenly 

 jumping up, aims a stone at its head. Should the 

 aim be true, the animal invariably drops dead or 

 stunned. If he misses his mark he tries to over- 

 take the animal and, when within striking distance, 

 delivers a blow over its skull with a stick or kerrie. 



One moonlight night near Port Elizabeth, a 

 gentleman was walking across the veld, accompanied 

 by his Hottentot servant, when a large Ant-Eater 

 shuffled away towards some bushes. The Hottentot 

 picked up a pebble and cast it at the creature, which 

 instantly fell. On examination it was found to be 

 quite dead, the skull being shattered, although the 

 stone was not a large one. 



On dissection of its body my assistant found a 

 foetus nearly fully developed. This was on July 20, 

 1912, which is about midwinter in that locality. 

 Judging by its development, the young one would 

 have been born within a couple of weeks. 



The mouth of an Ant-Eater is small, and situated 

 under the snout, which protrudes over it. The 

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