THE PANGOLIN. 287 



Extraordinary length of the tongue. 



However this may be, the lives of these animals 

 seem correspondent to their peculiar conforma- 

 tion. Incapable of being carnivorous, or of sub- 

 sisting on vegetables, which require much chew- 

 ing, they live entirely upon insects for which na* 

 ture has fitted them in a very extraordinary 

 manner." 



The nose of the pangolin is very long, whence 

 it is natural to suppose that the tongue is like- 

 wise long ; but in order still to increase this 

 length, it is so folded up in the mouth, that, 

 when extended, it is shot out to about a quarter 

 of a yard beyond the point of the nose: it is 

 round, extremely red, and covered with an unc- 

 tuous and slimy liquor, which gives it a shining 

 hue; by stretching out this tongue among the 

 ants, it collects vast numbers of them, till they 

 grow cautious, and will no longer be allured to 

 destruction. It is against those noxious insects 

 therefore, that its only art and cunning is exerted, 

 and were the natives but sufficiently sensible of 

 its utility, in destroying one of the greatest pests 

 of their country, they would not be so eager to 

 kill it. But it has been justly remarked, that sa- 

 vage men are only anxious to pursue immediate 

 good, without being solicitous about the distan 1 - 

 benefit they remove. 



VOL. 11. NO. xiv. ( l o 



